[1563] in peace2
UN security guard killed by Israelis, deteriorating condition
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Farnaz Haghseta)
Tue Mar 12 09:13:16 2002
Message-Id: <5.0.2.1.2.20020312090946.00a63a00@hesiod>
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 09:11:12 -5300
To: peace-announce@mit.edu
From: Farnaz Haghseta <farnaz@MIT.EDU>
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UNRWA
PRESS RELEASE Press Release
8 March, 2002
PRESS STATEMENT
UNRWA Commissioner-General expresses deep concern at the
worsening humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
Jerusalem, 8 March 2002
The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Peter Hansen, visited Tulkarem today, in
an attempt to assess personally the situation in the two refugee camps in
the town. On Wednesday, 6 March, Israeli Security Forces had entered the
camps, initiating violent armed clashes, resulting in many deaths and injuries.
Mr. Hansen also intended to visit the family of an UNRWA member of staff,
Kamal Hamdan, who was killed in the late afternoon of 7 March, whilst
accompanying a United Nations ambulance to evacuate injured persons. The
ambulance was hit four times by Israeli gunfire and Mr. Hamdan died before
reaching hospital. The Commissioner-General is extremely saddened by the
death of Mr. Hamdan, the first UNRWA fatality since the start of the
present conflict in September 2000. As many as five ambulances have been
hit within the last twenty-four hours, which seems to indicate a disturbing
pattern of the targeting of ambulances. On 7 March, an ambulance driver of
the Palestinian Red Crescent was killed when his ambulance also came under
fire.
Mr. Hansen, accompanied by the Director of UNRWA Operations in the West
Bank, Richard Cook, visited many of the injured in Tulkarem Hospital. Since
6 March, there have been 15 confirmed fatalities in Tulkarem, but the total
number of injured cannot be assessed until the ICRC and UNRWA have been
allowed to access the two camps. So far, such access has been denied,
despite urgent and repeated requests from UNRWA and the ICRC to the Israeli
Government and Defence Force to allow ambulances to evacuate those wounded.
There are confirmed reports that male refugees over sixteen years of age in
Tulkarem Camp have, since the afternoon of 8 March, been rounded up and
detained in one of the UNRWA schools in the Camp, and some have been
arrested and taken away. There have been reports of Israeli soldiers
carrying out a search campaign, moving from shelter to shelter by breaking
through partition walls.
The Commissioner-General joins the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, in
strongly condemning the killing of the UNRWA staff member, which has
occurred despite repeated letters of protest to the Israeli Government
regarding the incursions into the refugee camps in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip, the denial of access for UNRWA's humanitarian services and the
targeting of Red Crescent and UNRWA ambulances. He also appeals to the
Israeli Government to thoroughly investigate the incident leading to the
death of Kamal Hamdan.
Mr. Hansen, during his trip to Tulkarem Hospital, and after repeated
attempts to gain access to the Camps, said "Many refugees have informed me
about the dire situation in Tulkarem Camp, where there have been many
reported deaths and injuries. As soon as we can reach the Camp we will be
able to accurately assess the situation and provide emergency relief and
medical services to those in need".
On his tour of the hospital, Mr. Hansen expressed his dismay at the
apparently indiscriminate shooting from helicopter gunships at the camp
population. Many of the casualties were women and children. The hospital
has received so many injured persons that some have to be accommodated on
the floor.
The Commissioner-General reiterated the need for the Israeli Government to
honour its obligations under international humanitarian law.
For information onlyNot an official document
For more information contact: Richard Cook: + (972) 5890402
Sami Mshasha: + (972) 50 317094
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<html>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=7>UNRWA<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=6>PRESS
RELEASE</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times"><x-tab> </x-tab>Press
Release<br>
<table border=0>
<tr><td width=224>8 March, 2002</td></tr>
</font></table>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times"><b><u>PRESS STATEMENT<br>
<br>
UNRWA Commissioner-General expresses deep concern at the<br>
worsening humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory<br>
<br>
<br>
</u></b><i>Jerusalem, 8 March 2002<br>
<br>
</i>The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Peter Hansen, visited Tulkarem
today, in an attempt to assess personally the situation in the two
refugee camps in the town. On Wednesday, 6 March, Israeli Security Forces
had entered the camps, initiating violent armed clashes, resulting in
many deaths and injuries.<br>
<br>
Mr. Hansen also intended to visit the family of an UNRWA member of staff,
Kamal Hamdan, who was killed in the late afternoon of 7 March, whilst
accompanying a United Nations ambulance to evacuate injured persons. The
ambulance was hit four times by Israeli gunfire and Mr. Hamdan died
before reaching hospital. The Commissioner-General is extremely saddened
by the death of Mr. Hamdan, the first UNRWA fatality since the start of
the present conflict in September 2000. As many as five ambulances have
been hit within the last twenty-four hours, which seems to indicate a
disturbing pattern of the targeting of ambulances. On 7 March, an
ambulance driver of the Palestinian Red Crescent was killed when his
ambulance also came under fire.<br>
<br>
Mr. Hansen, accompanied by the Director of UNRWA Operations in the West
Bank, Richard Cook, visited many of the injured in Tulkarem Hospital.
Since 6 March, there have been 15 confirmed fatalities in Tulkarem, but
the total number of injured cannot be assessed until the ICRC and UNRWA
have been allowed to access the two camps. So far, such access has been
denied, despite urgent and repeated requests from UNRWA and the ICRC to
the Israeli Government and Defence Force to allow ambulances to evacuate
those wounded.<br>
<br>
There are confirmed reports that male refugees over sixteen years of age
in Tulkarem Camp have, since the afternoon of 8 March, been rounded up
and detained in one of the UNRWA schools in the Camp, and some have been
arrested and taken away. There have been reports of Israeli soldiers
carrying out a search campaign, moving from shelter to shelter by
breaking through partition walls.<br>
<br>
The Commissioner-General joins the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, in
strongly condemning the killing of the UNRWA staff member, which has
occurred despite repeated letters of protest to the Israeli Government
regarding the incursions into the refugee camps in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip, the denial of access for UNRWA's humanitarian services and
the targeting of Red Crescent and UNRWA ambulances. He also appeals to
the Israeli Government to thoroughly investigate the incident leading to
the death of Kamal Hamdan.<br>
<br>
Mr. Hansen, during his trip to Tulkarem Hospital, and after repeated
attempts to gain access to the Camps, said "Many refugees have
informed me about the dire situation in Tulkarem Camp, where there have
been many reported deaths and injuries. As soon as we can reach the Camp
we will be able to accurately assess the situation and provide emergency
relief and medical services to those in need". <br>
<br>
On his tour of the hospital, Mr. Hansen expressed his dismay at the
apparently indiscriminate shooting from helicopter gunships at the camp
population. Many of the casualties were women and children. The hospital
has received so many injured persons that some have to be accommodated on
the floor.<br>
<br>
The Commissioner-General reiterated the need for the Israeli Government
to honour its obligations under international humanitarian law. <br>
<br>
<br>
<table border=0>
<tr><td width=312><i>For information only</i><td width=312><i>Not an
official document</i></td></tr>
</font><tr><td width=312></td></tr>
<tr><td width=312></td></tr>
</table>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times"><i>For more information contact:
Richard Cook: + (972) 5890402<br>
Sami Mshasha: + (972) 50 317094 <br>
</font></i></html>
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