Key issues

• An Israeli settler was stabbed and killed by a Palestinian, triggering a wave of violence, resulting in the injury of 43 Palestinians (by settlers and Israeli forces) and eight settlers (by Palestinians), as well as significant property damage. Israeli forces arrest dozens of settlers blocking Palestinian traffic near Nablus.

• One civilian was killed and three others injured in UXOs and tunnel-related incidents in the Gaza Strip.

Armed conflicts, insecurity, protracted displacement and natural disasters affect millions of people across the region.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

On the occasion of World Health Day, UNRWA highlights results of health reform in Lebanon

5 April 2013
Beirut

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) held a ceremony today in Lebanon Field Office to present the results of health reform activities generously funded by the Italian Development Cooperation beginning in 2010.

Without adequate funding, the humanitarian community in Syria and the neighboring countries won't be able reach the numbers of people planned for at the end of last year, let alone scale up further to address the growing needs, stresses OCHA's latest humanitarian bulletin.

Key issues

• Decline in clashes during demonstrations; on 7 March, a 23 year-old Palestinian man died of wounds he sustained in a demonstration in late February and dozens others were injured.

• Fourteen Palestinians injured in settler-related violence.

• No demolitions were carried out by the Israeli authorities but at least 30 demolition and stop-work orders were delivered to residents in Hebron.

Key issues

 ● At least 200 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli forces across the West Bank in the context of protests held in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and following the death of a Palestinian detainee in Meggido prison.

● A 40 year-old Palestinian prisoner died in custody in a Palestinian Authority detention facility in Jericho.

● Four Palestinian civilians were injured in clashes with Israeli forces near the Gaza perimeter fence.

1. The Government of Japan has decided to extend a contribution of 10 million USD to the Palestinian Recovery and Development Plan Multi-Donor Trust Fund (PRDP-MDTF) to support the Palestinian Authority (PA) direct budget Administrative Arrangement to this effect was exchanged today on March 4th, 2013, in Ramallah with the participation of H.E. Dr. Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister of the PA, between Ms. Mariam Sherman, Country Director, The World Bank, West Bank and Gaza Country Office and Mr. Junya Matsuura, Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs/ Representative of Japan to PA.

Key issues

• Protests in solidarity with prisoners in Israeli jails on hunger strike evolve into clashes with Israeli forces, resulting in injury to 20 Palestinians.

• Positively, for the first time since the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement on 21 November 2012, no death or injuries were recorded during the week in the Access Restricted Areas along Gaza’s perimeter fence and coastline.