GAZA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) declared on Wednesday that it has received a donation worth 10 million U.S. dollars from Turkey, in support of the agency's programs.
UNRWA said in an emailed press statement that Turkey pledged 26,000 metric tons of wheat in support of nearly 1 million refugees in Gaza Strip.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl in Ankara on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Erdogan stressed his commitment to the UN and the support of the Palestinian refugees, saying "we will stand with UNRWA at this delicate time and mobilize our national mechanisms to support its 'Dignity is Priceless' campaign during Ramadan."
Krahenbuhl considered the meeting "a source of encouragement. UNRWA services for 526,000 students and millions of Palestine refugees must be preserved."
The UNRWA has over 700 schools serving almost 525,000 children, and offers healthcare for some 3.5 million refugees through a network of 150 clinics. In addition, the agency's food and cash assistance program offers some 1.7 million dollars to extremely vulnerable refugees.
Throughout the region, UNRWA serves 5.3 million Palestinian refugees.
In the beginning of the year, the U.S. cut down its contribution to UNRWA from 125 million dollars to 65 million dollars.
Palestinian officials have said that the U.S. move to reduce UNRWA funds comes in line with the new policy of U.S. President Donald Trump to ignore the final issues of the peace process, by removing the issues of Jerusalem and the refugees "off the table," as Trump said in a tweet after he recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital on Dec. 6, 2017.
