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Highlights
- Sustained hostilities in south-west Syria since 17 June have led to the displacement of an estimated 271,800 individuals as of 2 July. Of those, approximately 60,000 displaced to areas in close proximity to the Nasib/Jaber border crossing with Jordan, including the free zone, and some 164,000 IDPs have moved towards camps and villages in Quneitra, close to the Golan Heights area.
- Since the start of military operations, the UN has received reports of dozens deaths, including women and children. Additional reports also suggest indiscriminate attacks on health facilities, schools, civil defense centers and offices of local NGOs.
- On 1-2 July, the UN provided humanitarian assistance to displaced individuals at the Jaber/Nasib border area in Jordan. The 37-truck convoy carried sufficient water and NFI stocks to cover the needs of an estimated 35,000 people.
Highlights Sustained hostilities in south-west Syria since 17 June have led to the displacement of an estimated 271,800 individuals as of 2 July. Of those, approximately 60,000 displaced to areas in close proximity to the Nasib/Jaber border crossing with Jordan, including the free zone, and some 164,000 IDPs have moved towards camps and villages in Quneitra, close to the Golan Heights area. Since the start of military operations, the UN has received reports of dozens deaths, including women and children. Additional reports also suggest indiscriminate attacks on health facilities, schools, civil defense centers and offices of local NGOs. On 1-2 July, the UN provided humanitarian assistance to displaced individuals at the Jaber/Nasib border area in Jordan. The 37-truck convoy carried sufficient water and NFI stocks to cover the needs of an estimated 35,000 people.
Situation Overview
Since the start of military operations in south-west Syria, the UN has received dozens of reports of civilian deaths, including women and children. Additional reports also suggest indiscriminate attacks on health facilities, schools, civil defense centers and NGO offices. Most health and educational facilities in southern Syria remain closed due to widespread airstrikes and hostilities on the ground.
Sustained hostilities since 17 June have led to the displacement of an estimated 271,800 individuals within non-state armed group-controlled areas in Dara’a and Quneitra governorate as of 2 July. Of those, approximately 164,000 IDPs have moved towards camps and villages in Quneitra, close to the Golan Heights area, while some 60,000 have been displaced to areas in close proximity of the border with Jordan, including the Nasib/Jaber border crossing and the Free Zone. The Governments of Jordan and Israel continue to maintain the borders closed and have announced that Syrian IDPs will not be permitted to cross into their respective countries.
The living conditions of IDPs stranded at the Jordanian border are severe, with IDPs lacking shelter and basic items and subject to dusty desert winds and high temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius. The displaced lack regular access to clean drinking water and healthcare, and local sources on the ground report that at least twelve children, two women, and one elderly man died in areas close to the Jordanian border due to scorpion bites, dehydration and diseases transmitted through contaminated water. Some critical medical cases, however, have been able to seek treatment at medical facilities in Ramtha and Irbid in Jordan.
Between 29 June and 1 July, in response to intense air and ground-based strikes on various areas of Dara’a governorate, the local populations of several areas located in south-eastern Syria, such as Jizeh, Mseifra, Sayda, Kahil, and Tiba, pre-emptively left their towns for areas they perceive to be safer. The coinciding displacement of humanitarian workers from the area and the high fuel prices and/or lack of fuel have impacted the ability of humanitarian organizations to relocate humanitarian supplies in eastern Dara’a to the new areas of population concentration.
Since the Government of Syria (GoS) announced the establishment of four “corridors” on 27 June, through which individuals can move towards GoS-controlled areas, some initial estimates indicate that 12,000 to 15,000 people have reportedly crossed into GoS-held areas in Dara’a governorate. Many of the IDPs are making their way towards the Jbab shelter, with approximately 2,500 people still at the shelter, whilst others have left towards areas in which they can stay with host communities and secure alternative shelter arrangements. As of 30 June, there have reportedly been 80 medevac cases from Jbab to hospitals in Damascus, and some 400 families have moved onwards to Rural Damascus. An estimated 2,000 people have also crossed into Sweida governorate.
Humanitarian Access
Humanitarian Access (on hold): Since 27 June, the UN has not been able to proceed with humanitarian cross-border convoys due to ongoing hostilities and lack of security guarantees from the parties. A convoy continues to be stationed at Ramtha ready to cross once security conditions allow South-West Dar’a towards North-West Dar’a /Qunaitra (open) West to East crossing inside Syria (open) Ramtha UN convoy crossing point from Jordan remains open, with operations on hold.
Jordan | Syria: Humanitarian Situation in Dar’a, Qunaitra and Sweida, Flash Update, as of 2 July 2018
Humanitarian cross-line access (requiring access approvals): The United Nations and its humanitarian partners stand ready to respond through cross-line deliveries from inside Syria. These require access permissions from the Government of Syria.
Medical evacuations (partial): Medical evacuations of urgent cases who require treatment in Jordan require the permission of the Government of Jordan. Negotiations to secure access for emergency medical evacuations remains ongoing, with twelve cases treated at the Ramtha and Irbid hospitals.
Commercial and civilian access routes between Dar’a and Qunaitra and Sweida (suspended):
Many commercial and civilian access roads between the three southern governorates have been closed or became inaccessible. However, some crossings remain open for civilian and commercial movements. The Sweida road is reported to be closed, preventing the replenishments of markets. Kherbet Ghazaleh (Gharia West): closed for commercial traffic Kherbet Ghazaleh (Dael): closed for commercial traffic Kafar Sham (Dier Bakhat): closed for commercial traffi Preparedness and Response On 1-2 July, an inter-agency UN emergency convoy comprising 37 trucks (mobilized jointly by UNHCR, UNICEF, UNFPA and WFP) was dispatched to the border area in Jordan. The convoy carried sufficient water and NFI stocks for 35,000 beneficiaries (10,000 at the free zone and a further 25,000 beyond). On 1 July, 869 UNICEF family hygiene kits and 580 UNFPA dignity kits and 150 UNFPA clean home delivery kits were delivered to displaced communities at the Tower 58 crossing point. UNHCR partners provided health care services to approximately 40 patients at the free zone through a medical team comprised of one medical doctor, two nurses and a pharmacist assistant. A total of twelve cases were referred to the Ramtha and Irbid hospitals. As of 30 June, WFP, through partners on the ground, has distributed emergency food assistance sufficient for some 180,000 people, with some people receiving a second round of assistance. Deliveries include ready-to-eat rations (RTEs), regular food rations, and nutrition supplies for the prevention of malnutrition in children under two years of age. WFP, through its partners, also distributed 10,220 food rations sufficient for 51,100 people in Tal Shihab, in addition to 12,500 food rations sufficient for 62,500 people at the Nasib and Mataiyeh border area. Core relief items, including basic shelter materials sufficient for 60,000 people, have been prepositioned. The UN stands ready to scale up response to people in need through the most direct routes wherever access allows.
For further information, please contact: Sarah Muscroft, Head of OCHA Jordan, muscroft@un.org Kristele Younes, Head of OCHA Syria, younes4@un.org
For more information, please visit www.unocha.org and www.reliefweb.int.
