The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the West Bank deplored the Israeli army killing of two Palestine refugee children during the violent assault on Monday in the Jenin refugee camp.
The children were a 15-year-old boy who was a Grade 9 student at the UNRWA Jenin Boys Preparatory School, and a 14-year-old girl in Grade 8 at the UNRWA Jenin Girls School.
UNRWA condemned in a statement what it described as “the violence that erupted” during the Israeli army assault on Jenin which led to the killing of the two UNRWA school students among seven who were killed by Israeli army gunfire on that day and the injury of more than 90 as well as the widespread damage to at least 75 refugee homes.
“UNRWA is continuing to assess damage and disruptions to its installations and services,” it said.
Daily life in the West Bank is becoming untenable. Students will return to school to see the empty seats of their now deceased friends. Shopkeepers will need to start their days repairing damage from the violence. Health professionals will try to support numerous traumatized refugees, it said.
UNRWA has already recorded the highest number of Palestine Refugee fatalities, including the highest number of child refugee fatalities, in a single year since 2005 when the UN started systematically documenting them. The highest refugee fatality figures prior to this year were recorded in 2022, said the statement.
“Immediate measures are needed to avoid further escalating violence within refugee camps and prevent further loss of life,” urged the UN organization.
