Syria + 1 more
The crisis in Yarmouk Camp, 20 January 2015
Our spokesperson Chris Gunness has the following to say on the situation in Yarmouk Camp
"UNRWA was not able to distribute humanitarian assistance in Yarmouk today, 20 January due to ongoing clashes in the vicinity of the distribution area.
"Daily, UNRWA assesses the security situation in Yarmouk and requests relevant authorities to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population. Over the previous month, Yarmouk and its surrounding areas have seen a serious escalation in armed conflict, including frequent, heavy exchanges of fire and the use of heavy weapons, which have persistently disrupted the distribution of life-saving humanitarian aid to the 18,000 civilians trapped in the area.
"UNRWA remains deeply concerned that only 36 food parcels in total have been distributed over the previous six weeks. Other minimum human needs, including health care, NFIs and shelter are similarly unmet.
"Approximately 400 food parcels are required each day to meet the minimum food needs of this extremely vulnerable population. In 2014, on days when all concerned actors cooperated fully to give priority to meeting the food needs of civilians in Yarmouk, UNRWA has proven capable of distributing up to 1,000 food parcels per day. To stop the suffering of Yarmouk’s civilians, UNRWA calls for this level of cooperation to resume, for the immediate cessation of armed hostilities in and around Yarmouk, and for all concerned parties to act in ways that promote the protection of Yarmouk’s civilians and give the utmost priority to their humanitarian needs."