UN, Palestine launch appeal for humanitarian funds for occupied Palestinian territory

The United Nations and the State of Palestine on Monday jointly launched the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2017, calling for nearly 550 million U.S. dollars to meet humanitarian needs of the people in the occupied Palestinian territory, a UN spokesman told reporters here.

The appeal was launched by the UN humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, Robert Piper, together with the Palestinian Minister of Social Development, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

Almost 70 percent of that amount targets Gaza, where humanitarian needs are highest due to the Israeli blockade and recurrent hostilities, the spokesman said.

The plan seeks 547 million U.S. dollars in donor funding to implement 243 projects by 95 organizations, including 47 national and 35 international non-governmental organizations, and 13 UN agencies.

According to humanitarian assessments, some 1.8 million people are in high need of protection in the occupied Palestinian territory and 1.6 million people are moderately to severely food insecure. In Gaza, more than 50,000 people remain displaced from the 2014 hostilities, while 8,000 people in the West Bank are at high risk of forcible transfer due to a coercive environment.

Throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, hundreds of thousands of people still have restricted access to essential services.

This year's plan aims to provide aid to 1.6 million Palestinians in the occupied territories.

Nearly 2 million people need protection and 1.6 million people are food insecure. In Gaza, more than 50,000 people are still displaced from the 2014 hostilities and need shelter assistance. Enditem