ISRAELI OPERATION DESTROYS 36 BUILDINGS IN GAZA REFUGEE CAMP - UN AGENCY
New York, Jan 20 2004 2:00PM
Israeli armoured vehicles and bulldozers destroyed 36 buildings in a Gaza refugee camp during an operation that began in
the early hours of this morning, according to the main United Nations agency helping Palestine refugees.
The buildings housed some 81 families, or approximately 400 people, the UN Refugee Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees (UNRWA) reported.
Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters exchanged fire throughout the operation. Israeli soldiers took up sniper
positions on the roofs of homes and heavy machine gun fire was directed at houses in the area from the armoured
vehicles, UNRWA said.
Not including today's operation, 56 buildings in the Rafah camp had already been destroyed in January, UNRWA said.
Meanwhile, the Agency's Commissioner-General, Peter Hansen, has completed official visits to China, Japan and the
Republic of Korea to raise financial and political support for UNRWA's work.
All three countries expressed support for the Agency and acknowledged the difficult conditions in which it operates, a
UN spokesman reported.
Operating since 1950, UNRWA now provides basic social services to over 4.1 million registered Palestine refugees in the
Middle East. The Agency has faced chronic budgetary shortfalls as contributions fail to keep pace with refugee needs.
2004-01-20 00:00:00.000
For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news