UNRWA Demands Armed Groups Evacuate Its Facilities in Ain al-Hilweh

Dorothea Klaus, the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, announced in a statement that "UNRWA has received alarming reports indicating that armed groups are still occupying its facilities, including a school complex in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in southern Lebanon. It has been reported that UNRWA facilities have sustained damage due to the recent fighting in the camp." She pointed out that "the complex includes four UNRWA schools that provide education to 3,200 Palestinian refugee children," considering that "this is a blatant violation of the sanctity of United Nations structures under international law, which threatens the neutrality of UNRWA facilities and undermines the safety and security of our staff and Palestinian refugees." She stated, "UNRWA strongly condemns these acts and demands the protection of all its facilities, including schools that should be safe havens for children, places of peace where they can learn and play, and should never be used in armed conflicts." Klaus concluded, "UNRWA calls on the relevant parties to immediately evacuate its buildings so that the agency can resume vital services and provide assistance to all Palestinian refugees in need."