19 January 2012
Gaza
UNRWA has received an in-kind contribution of rice, flour, and sunflower oil from the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) for distribution to poor refugees in Gaza. The contribution comprises 9 tonnes of rice, 30 tonnes of flour, and 2.08 tonnes of sunflower oil. In addition, the ERC has sent a consignment of 20 cartons of medicine for use in UNRWA’s health centres in Gaza.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi welcomed this contribution, stating “this donation demonstrates once again the steadfast support of the Egyptian people for the people of the Gaza Strip.”
“On behalf of the refugees UNRWA serves, I thank the Egyptian Red Crescent Society for this generous contribution. I look forward to continuing the longstanding partnership between our organizations in order to maintain support to Palestine refugees in need until such time as a just and lasting solution to their plight has been achieved.”
ENDS
Background information
UNRWA provides assistance, protection and advocacy for nearly 5 million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, pending a solution to their plight. The Agency’s services encompass education, health care, social safety-net, camp infrastructure and improvement, community support, microfinance and emergency response, including in times of armed conflict.
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by contributions from States. The Agency’s core budget for 2010-2011 stands at $1.23 billion. In 2009, emergency appeals for the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon amounted to $827.4 million.
For more information please contact:
Christopher Gunness
UNRWA Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0) 54 240 2659
Office: +972 (0) 2 589 0267
c.gunness@unrwa.org
Sami Mshasha
UNRWA Arabic Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0) 54 216 8295
Office: +972 (0) 2 589 0724
s.mshasha@unrwa.org
InterTech 
