UNRWA To Distribute 20 Million Shekels Aid In Cash To 200,000 Gazan Students

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) announced that it will distribute 20 million shekels (5.3 million US dollars) to 200,000 students in Gaza schools on Tuesday.

In a statement from UNRWA spokesperson Adnan Abu Hasna, the agency explained the donations as a mechanism to forestall the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza as part of ongoing support UNRWA provides to Palestinian refugees.

Abu Hasna also noted UNRWA's operations in Gaza have been stepped up over the past months, now offering services to approximately 70000 Palestinians in the strip.

UNRWA also hosts Iftar dinners, the meal marking the end of a day's fasting during Ramadan, with support from the UAE Red Crescent, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.

"Despite the financial crisis experienced by UNRWA, the organization focuses great attention on the Gaza Strip due to the collapse of all sectors of life and a nearly total destruction of industrial and agricultural sectors as a result of the continued siege imposed by Israel," Abu Hasna noted.

There is still, however, a financial crisis, and in the same statement Hasna plugged the 'Gaza Ramadan Appeal' program which aims to raise the 181 million US dollars it needs to continue emergency relief services throughout the year.

So far the UAE, USA, and Saudi Arabia have donated significant amounts of funds, the US alone pledged 81 million US dollars and Kuwait has 34 million this year.