Date: February 6, 2025
The Emergency Technical Committee Holds a Meeting in the Refugee Affairs Department Headquarters.
UNRWA is the Authorized Body for Shelter Data Collection and Interventions
Based on the recent meetings’ outcomes of the Ministerial Emergency Committee, which was held today, Thursday, at the headquarters of Refugee Affairs Department of Palestine Liberation Organization, attended by the Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Mustafa and Dr. Ahmad Abu Holi, Head of the Department of Refugee Affairs, the Emergency Technical Committee which operates under the Ministerial Committee. The meeting was attended by the Director of UNRWA operations in the West Bank, area directors and the Director of Social and Relief Services Program.
The purpose of the meeting was to coordinate efforts and interventions among UNRWA, the Refugee Affairs Department, and the government’s technical committee regarding following up the damage caused by the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Palestinian camps, especially the urgent needs to shelter the displaced people who were forced to flee their homes in the camps.
The attendees reaffirmed that UNRWA, under its UN mandate as outlined in Resolution 302, is the primary entity responsible for providing services to refugees and managing emergency interventions in refugee communities and camps. Given the pressing needs for shelter and humanitarian relief, UNRWA holds the official mandate to address these issues.
The meeting emphasized the necessity of full cooperation with UNRWA to ensure the collection of accurate and well-documented data on displacement and shelter needs. It was reiterated that UNRWA is the designated agency responsible for gathering this data through its offices and field teams deployed across the refugee camps. Therefore, displaced individuals forced from their homes due to Israeli aggression are urged to contact UNRWA offices and staff to officially register their shelter-related information.
All stakeholders were called upon to prioritize the issue of sheltering displaced persons, recognizing the urgent need for effective interventions by donor organizations, the private sector, and civil society groups, in collaboration with UNRWA. These efforts are crucial in strengthening the resilience of Palestinian refugees amidst the increasing attacks on refugee camps.
Additionally, the meeting underscored the importance of cooperation between local popular committees and UNRWA in responding to the current emergency situation in the camps. This includes assessing the damage, collecting necessary data, and ensuring that affected and displaced families in need of shelter receive the required support.
