Director of UNRWA operations in Gaza Bo Schack warned on Wednesday that the tragic situation in Gaza might exacerbate and announced that 3000 houses that were completely destroyed in the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza will be reconstructed soon.
Pointing to the electricity and water crises and the recent salary cuts Schack said in a press conference at the UNRWA office in Gaza that the situation in Gaza is getting worse.
On the possibility of the UNRWA intervention to bring tax-free fuel to Gaza Schack stated that “this issue is not within the purview of the UNRWA” noting that the absence of the political solution is what delays resolving it.
Schack called for finding durable solutions not temporary ones to the Gaza Strip crises affirming that the UNRWA will continue to provide its humanitarian services to the Gazan citizens.
The UN official announced that the coming period will witness the reconstruction of 3000 houses that were destroyed during the 2014 Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip adding that 2000 other houses have been reconstructed or are still underway.
He pointed out that the reconstruction of 2000 new houses will start soon.
He said “This is a good development compared to last year and the problems we have encountered to obtain approvals for the entry of cement.”
Schack stressed that the UNRWA shoulders a special responsibility toward the Palestinian society and the refugees in particular. “We know that the context in which we are working is difficult and our staffers are facing the same crisis everyone faces” he added.
He emphasized that that the Gazan youths need more job opportunities and that the UNRWA provided 30000 temporary opportunities for the youths last year.
He said that the UNRWA needs permanent solutions to compensate for the temporary solutions it provides through the temporary employment opportunities.
