JERUSALEM, December 28, 2013 (WAFA) - The European Union (EU) has announced a new contribution of 16 million euros ($21.9 million) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), a press release said on Friday.

This donation brings total EU support to UNRWA in 2013 to 153.5 million euros ($209.8 million). Including separate contributions from EU Member States, 41 per cent of the Agency’s funding in 2013 came from Europe, said the UNRWA press release.

“The latest generous contribution comes in response to the worsening situation in Syria and the increasing numbers of civilian deaths and casualties, including among Palestinians and humanitarian workers,” said UNRWA.

An estimated 540,000 registered Palestine refugees live in Syria. After more than two years of conflict, 440,000 of them are in dire need of humanitarian relief, it said.

M.S.