- Title: LEBANON: Red Cross and Hezbollah deliver aid to refugees in Beddawi camp
- Date: 27th May 2007
- Summary: WOMEN INSIDE AMBULANCE / CHILD ON WOMAN'S LAP/ CLOSE OF CHILD
- Embargoed: 11th June 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Lebanon
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Domestic Politics,Social Services / Welfare
- Reuters ID: LVA3FAZVTSCGXXBBJDWJZOZO0978
- Story Text: Aid arrives for refugees in Nahr al-Bared and Beddawi camp while Hezbollah meets with Palestinian leaders to discuss fighting in the north. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delivered three truck loads of food, water and candles to Nahr al-Bared, an ICRC spokesperson said, where at least 10,000 refugees remain without electricity, drinking water, food or medical assistance.
The ICRC also delivered 30 tonnes of food to 12,000 displaced refugees who moved to a nearby camp. A 12-truck convoy from the United Arab Emirates also arrived in the area and began distributing aid.
Meanwhile, Shiite group Hezbollah also delivered aid to Palestinian refugees in northern Lebanon who were forced to flee the fighting between Islamist militants in Nahr al-Bared camp and the Lebanese army.
A fragile truce struck on Monday (May 20) has allowed thousands of the Nahr al-Bared's residents to escape to nearby Beddawi camp and to other areas in Tripoli and in Beirut.
"Film us, this is the second time we leave Palestine," said one man fleeing Nahr al-Bared camp referring to the first time they forced to leave Palestine in 1948 when Israel was created.
Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah warned the army against entering the besieged camp saying it would be a sacrifice of the army and Palestinian civilians.
The army, which is banned inside Palestinian camps since 1969, is building up its forces around the camp and has requested assistance from the U.S. and Arab countries to uproot the al Qaeda-styled group.
In Beirut, a senior Hezbollah official held talks with PLO representative in Lebanon Abbas Zaki who has been spearheading efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully.
Naeem Kassem, Nasrallah's deputy, met Zaki and other Palestinian factional leaders amid increasing concern for the humanitarian situation in Nahr al-Bared.
"We discussed our common concerns with respect to the tragedy in Nahr al-Bared and the ways in which we can prevent our people from being the victims of this odd and sick phenomenon that has settled in Nahr al-Bared under the guise of Palestinian," said Zaki during the meeting. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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