HUMANITARIAN SITUATION FOR PALESTINIANS IN GAZA REMAINS DIRE
- The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said that the main crossing points into Gaza remain closed, and it stressed that a reopening of the Karni crossing was crucial to prevent a general food shortage in two weeks’ time.
- The Agency said that the refugee poverty rate has now risen to 88 percent, with UNRWA now providing food aid to 860,000 refugees in Gaza alone.
- The World Food Programme said it had been able to use one crossing point, at Kerem Shalom, today to transport some 400 tonnes of food aid to Gaza, and added that more food aid needs to come in, with commercial stocks running low.
- UNICEF said it is delivering emergency medical supplies and vaccines to help prevent outbreaks of measles, tuberculosis and other diseases among children in Gaza.
- Tomorrow, UNRWA will start a 10-week programme of games for 192,000 children and youth in Gaza.
- Asked about new dates for a Quartet meeting, the Spokeswoman said that Quartet members were consulting with each other on that. She said that the Quartet’s envoys would meet next week.
- Asked about the Secretary-General’s reaction to the scheduled meeting next week between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Montas said that the Secretary-General has always encouraged and supports meetings between them. She noted his participation last May in the Sharm El Sheikh consultations on the Arab peace initiative and his many exchanges with regional players in recent days.
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