US gives $85 million to Palestinian refugees
US is providing Palestinian refugees with $85 million, including a portion to help ease the plight of Palestinians under siege in the Gaza Strip.
By Agencies |
WASHINGTON: The United States announced today that it is providing Palestinian refugees with USD 85 million, including a portion to help ease the plight of Palestinians under siege in the Gaza Strip.
The State Department said the funds would be channeled through the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) whose role it commended in "meeting the emergency needs of civilians in Gaza at this very difficult time."
The US government is contributing USD 85 million to meet UNWRA's appeals for 2009, with 60 million dollars going to its general fund and USD 25 million to its emergency fund, according to a statement.
It said USD 25 million of the total will be used to help Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank "receive urgently needed food, medicines, and other critical humanitarian assistance."
Refugees account for 70 per cent of Gaza's population; and 30 percent of the West Bank's, it said.
The rest will go towards "basic and vocational education, primary health care, and relief and social services to more than 4.6 million registered Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria," it said.
"The United States reiterates its deep concern about the escalating violence in Gaza and commends UNRWA's important work meeting the emergency needs of civilians in Gaza at this very difficult time," it said.
"We hold Hamas fully responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence," it added.
The State Department said the funds would be channeled through the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) whose role it commended in "meeting the emergency needs of civilians in Gaza at this very difficult time."
The US government is contributing USD 85 million to meet UNWRA's appeals for 2009, with 60 million dollars going to its general fund and USD 25 million to its emergency fund, according to a statement.
It said USD 25 million of the total will be used to help Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank "receive urgently needed food, medicines, and other critical humanitarian assistance."
Refugees account for 70 per cent of Gaza's population; and 30 percent of the West Bank's, it said.
The rest will go towards "basic and vocational education, primary health care, and relief and social services to more than 4.6 million registered Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria," it said.
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"The United States reiterates its deep concern about the escalating violence in Gaza and commends UNRWA's important work meeting the emergency needs of civilians in Gaza at this very difficult time," it said.
"We hold Hamas fully responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence," it added.
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