The commissioner general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, visited Syria’s capital Damascus on Monday to hold talks with officials ahead of a planned tour of Palestinian camps in the country.
An informed source told The New Arab’s Arabic language sister publication, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that the visit aims to enhance cooperation, support and services provided to Palestinian refugees in the country.
Lazzarini met with Syria’s minister of social affairs, Hind Qabbat, early on Monday, with the pair discussing how the UN and Syrian government can work together to aid Palestinian refugees, particularly regarding the support of UNRWA schools and health centres.
They further discussed some of the main challenges these facilities face, mapping ways the issues can be addressed through joint effort and collaboration.
Lazzarini is expected to visit several Palestinian camps today, including the Yarmouk camp was established in 1957 and spans 2.1 square kilometres. The camp was once the home to one of the largest Palestinian refugee communities in Syria.
The UN chief also met with the Syrian minister of emergency and disaster management, Raed al-Saleh, where they discussed how to enhance the humanitarian response provided to Palestinians, and mechanisms that can be put in place to ensure the continuity of UNRWA services.
The meetings with officials come as UNRWA seeks to strengthen its partnerships with Syrian government agencies and contribute to improving the conditions of Palestinian refugees.
Reports state that Palestinian activists have detailed that Syrian regime forces under the now ousted Bashar al-Assad, systematically destroyed all UN agency facilities in Syria, particularly in the Yarmouk camp.
The visit comes in parallel to Israel’s war on Gaza, which has displaced the majority of the Strip’s population.
According to UNRWA, around 400,000 Palestinians have been displaced since 18 March, when Israel shattered the ceasefire agreement with Gaza by resuming the war on the enclave.
Israel has also continued to impose a total blockade on Gaza for over a month, not allowing any food, medicine, or shelter equipment into the Strip, despite international condemnation.
People in Gaza “are suffering as this is the longest period without aid and commercial supplies since the start of the war on Gaza,” the organisation said, while pushing for another ceasefire.
At least 1,542 Palestinians have been killed since 18 March alone, while an additional 3,940 others have been wounded in the same time frame.
The World Health Organisation also said last week that medicine stocks in Gaza are dangerously low due to Israel’s ban on the entry of aid, making it difficult for hospitals to continue providing even partial services.
