UN calls for more funding for Palestinians as it assesses needs in Jenin after Israeli raids

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - The UN has urged member states to step up their funding for more than 2 million Palestinians as it assesses urgent needs after the deadly Israeli raid on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

"Due to significant infrastructure damage, the entire camp is without water, and some residents have been made homeless," UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters on Friday.

"According to our humanitarian partners’ assessments, more than 100 households have lost their connection to the sewer system".

He said that the UN will prioritize repairs to the water and sewer network in the coming days in addition to the provision of emergency food and cash assistance and psychosocial support, especially to children.

Mitigating the risks of unexploded ordnance will also be critical, he added.

"To support these efforts, we urge member states to step up their funding for the humanitarian response," he said.

The UN's humanitarian response plan for the occupied Palestinian territories is just 20 percent funded.

Meanwhile, Lynn Hastings, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, also briefed the Security Council on the recent situation in Jenin.

The 15-member Council held close consultations Friday morning to discuss the deadly Israeli raids on Jenin.

The Israeli army withdrew from Jenin early Wednesday, concluding its largest military operation in the city in more than 20 years.

At least 12 Palestinians were killed, including five children, and more than 140 were injured in the offensive, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The raid, which started Monday, has also left a massive trail of destruction across the West Bank city, with dozens of homes, vehicles, shops and utility lines destroyed.