World Food Programme Emergency Report 2006 – WFP report no. 33 (excerpts)

World Food Programme Emergency Report 2006

Issued Weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme

Report No. 33 / 2006 – Date 18 August 2006

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(B) Middle East,Central Asia and Eastern Europe:

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(2) occupied Palestinian territories

(a) During the reporting period (1-15 August), incursions continued in Southern Gaza and there has been a concerning increase in the internal violence/criminality. Two journalists were kidnapped in the past week and UN cars have been repeatedly targeted for vehicle hijacking over the reporting period. The UNSCO compound was attacked/looted in Gaza (linked to Lebanon) and 14 vehicles -including armoured vehicles – were damaged. Two field visits had to be cancelled due to security concerns.

(b) In the West Bank a food distribution had to be postponed in Azmout village/Nablus following a security incident where non beneficiaries tried to take over the partners’ truck to receive WFP food. This is the second incident of the sort and reflects the growing needs in the Northern West Bank.

(c) In Gaza, the Ministry of Social Affairs completed the distribution of July /August allocation to 24,170 Social Hardship Cases (SHC) out of the planned 80,181 for August. Under food for work activities, Community Housing and Finance (CHF) distributed the July and August allocation to 2,524 beneficiaries.

(d) In the West Bank, WFP and MSA completed the distribution of 300 tons of food to 9,365 beneficiaries. A further 480 beneficiaries received 6 tons WFP food commodities as part of an emergency distribution in Jericho and Jenin governorates.

(e) CRS distributed 140 tons of WFP food to 17,000 beneficiaries in Hebron as part of an emergency distribution. CHF completed emergency distributions of 285 tons of food to 28,086 beneficiaries in the Northern Area.

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