Gaza Refugees Continue Their Sit-in Protest Outside UNRWA Building

Thursday July 21, 2011 23:51 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

For the second day, the Popular Committee for Palestinian Refugees in Gaza, continued the peace sit-in protest in front of the UNRWA building in Gaza City, in protest to due to the sharp decline in services provided by the international agency to the refugee in Gaza, organizers said.

UNRWA Protest - assabeel.net

Dozens of refugees gathered in front of the UNRWA building and the nearby UNRWA main headquarters, and prevented staff members from entering the buildings.

Protests organizers said that they will continue their activities until the UNRWA stops the reduction of services.

The Maan News Agency reported that the UNRWA building was closed for two hours, and all UNRWA vehicles were prevented from leaving the headquarters.

Moeen Modarres, an official at the Popular Committee of Refugees, told Maan that “an escalating strike will be held Friday, until the UN submits of the demands of the refugees”.

Last Sunday, the refugees held a protest in Gaza slamming the UNRWA for “ignoring them and for not implementing the Japan-financed project to build homes in Al Shaty’s refugee camp in Gaza”.

Palestinians who lost their homes during Israeli attacks and invasions into the Gaza Strip repeatedly held protest in front of UNRWA buildings demanding the implementation of construction projects in Gaza.

The refugees are also demanding the UNRWA to increase its humanitarian services.

UNRWA Media Spokesperson, Adnan Abu Hasna, denied media reports claiming that the agency had reduced to services, but stated that there is a 50M USD deficit in Emergency Program that was established in 2011, the Assabeel Agency reported.

The UNRWA recently changed its name dropping Relief and Works leading to massive protests among the refugees, and then decided to change its name back to United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

gaza strip | refugees/immigration | news report