April 17, 2002	Wednesday	Safar 3, 142

GENEVA, April 16: Thousands of Palestinians in the besieged West Bank refugee camp of Jenin still lack food, water and basic medical supplies as Israeli forces continue to hamper access, aid agencies said on Tuesday.

“There are still thousands of people in the (Jenin) camp who have obviously had no food, water or sustenance for quite some time,” Rene Aquarone, spokesman for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), told a news briefing.

UNRWA head Peter Hansen warned last week of a “catastrophic” humanitarian situation inside Jenin.

The New York-based group Human Rights Watch urged Israel on Monday to immediately allow humanitarian and human rights organizations unfettered access to the Jenin camp.

Aquarone said UNRWA had tried to distribute food and medical supplies on Monday, and while Israeli authorities gave authorization for a truck to enter the camp, it did not give permission to unload.

He said more UNRWA trucks had been sent to the entrance of the camp on Tuesday to try to get food and medical supplies through.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was launching a programme for families to report missing persons in a bid to get a clearer picture of the number of dead.—Reuters