UNRWA – Emergency appeal progress report 18 – Press release

UNRWA Emergency Appeal Progress Report 18

(01 Sep – 31 Oct 2002)

Background 

September and October saw a continuation of the violence and destruction that has plagued the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) for over two years. A total of 121 Palestinians were killed and a further 741 injured during the two months and hundreds of shelters were damaged or destroyed. Despite closures, restrictions on freedom of movement and damage to the Agency's infrastructure, UNRWA continued to respond to the humanitarian consequences of the current crisis.

A Technical Assessment Mission, following up the earlier visit by the Secretary-General's Personal Humanitarian Envoy, Catherine Bertini, visited the oPt in October to review the situation on the ground and to explore mechanisms for enhancing the response to the humanitarian crisis. UNRWA participated fully in the work of the mission and subsequent related events.

As of 31 October only 52.6 percent of UNRWA's 2002 Emergency Appeal has been pledged with only 59.3 percent actually received.

This is the eighteenth progress report in UNRWA's emergency appeal series. This report covers the implementation of appeal activities over the period 1 September – 31 October 2002.