At least 10 Palestinian civilians were killed and 30 wounded in Syria by a rocket strike on the Neirab camp for Palestinian refugees close to the city of Aleppo on Tuesday night UNRWA said in a statement on Thursday.
“On Tuesday night as families gathered to break their fasts for the Ramadan Iftar meal several rockets hit the densely populated Neirab camp for Palestine refugees in Aleppo killing at least ten civilians and wounding more than thirty” a statement from director of UNRWA affairs in Syria Amanya Michael Ebye said.
“Among those killed were four children the youngest just six years old. A number of the injured remain in critical condition.”
Ebye added in the statement that the ongoing hostilities around the Neirab camp and the ensuing deteriorating security situation have forced UNRWA to suspend the six schools that it runs within the camp impacting more than 3000 children.
“Funerals took place throughout the night of Tuesday and shops and services were closed on Wednesday in mourning. While UNRWA has opened its schools in Neirab camp Thursday it does so with the sad knowledge that three of its students will not be joining the final preparations for the end-of-year exams.”
UNRWA condemned “the killing and wounding of all civilians including Palestine refugees” and called on “all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law namely in taking all precautionary measures to ensure the protection of civilians during hostilities.”
“The dramatic escalation in hostilities in north-western Syria leaves UNRWA concerned for an estimated 10–20000 Palestine refugees who are displaced in that area. We join calls by other humanitarian actors in Syria for an end to the terrible suffering of civilians” the statement added.
