Our spokesperson Chris Gunness has the following to say on the situation in Yarmouk Camp
"UNRWA was not able to distribute humanitarian assistance in Yarmouk on 10 January, 2015, due to adverse weather conditions and ongoing hostilities in the area.
"Persistent armed violence in Yarmouk has now prevented UNRWA from conducting a successful distribution operation since 6 December, 2014.
"Over the previous month, Yarmouk and its surrounding areas have seen a serious escalation in armed conflict, including frequent, heavy exchanges of fire and the use of heavy weapons, which have persistently disrupted the distribution of life-saving humanitarian aid to the 18,000 civilians trapped in the area. Approximately 400 food parcels are required each day to meet the minimum food needs of this extremely vulnerable population and UNRWA remains deeply concerned that only 36 food parcels in total have been distributed over the previous four weeks, with distribution teams prevented from entering Yarmouk or forced to evacuate due to armed clashes on several occasions. Other minimum humanitarian needs, including health care, NFIs and shelter are similarly unmet.
"With the facilitation and support of the relevant authorities, UNRWA has proved capable of distributing up to 1,000 food parcels per day this year in response to the humanitarian needs of civilians in Yarmouk. To ease the suffering of Yarmouk’s civilians and to improve the wretchedly harsh conditions in which they live, UNRWA appeals for an immediate cessation of armed hostilities inside Yarmouk and for recourse to negotiations to maintain calm inside Yarmouk and its surrounding areas. UNRWA will continue to assess the security situation in Yarmouk and work towards obtaining safe, uninterrupted and full humanitarian access at the earliest opportunity."