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Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA Press Release
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East Jerusalem 04 Feb 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA CONDEMNS CONFISCATION OF GAZA AID AND DEMANDS ITS IMMEDIATE RETURN
At 1430 on 3 February over 3,500 blankets and 406 food parcels were confiscated from a distribution store at Beach Camp in Gaza by police personnel. This took place after Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA staff had earlier refused to hand over the aid supplies to the Hamas-run Ministry of Social Affairs. The police subsequently broke into the warehouse and seized the aid by force. The aid was due to be distributed to five hundred families in the area.
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA condemns in the strongest terms the confiscation of its aid supplies and has demanded that it is returned immediately. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA has a strict system of monitoring aid delivery and ensuring that its assistance reaches only the intended beneficiaries. Our officials were on the ground overseeing the delivery of our aid and taking all possible steps to avoid its diversion.
For more information please contact:
Christopher Gunness
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA Spokesperson
Mobile: +972-(0)54-240-2659
Office: +972-(0)2-589-0267
Sami Mshasha
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA Arabic Spokesperson
Mobile: +972-(0)54-216-8295
Office: +972 (0)2-589-0724
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Document Sources: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA)
Subject: Humanitarian relief, Incidents, Refugees and displaced persons
Publication Date: 04/02/2009