Quarterly Updates for (16 Feb 2016 — 15 May 2016)

Although UNRWA aid personnel were allowed into certain areas of Damascus at the end of last quarter (see JPS 45 [3]), and a U.S.- Russia–brokered cease-fire went into effect on 2/27, conditions for the Palestinian community in Syria did not improve this quarter, particularly in the Damascus Yarmouk r.c. where there were renewed outbreaks of fighting.

Because reliable reporting from Syria remains sparse, it was 8 days before the 1st international outlet reported on the 4/6 assault by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). According to Al Jazeera (4/14), around 5,000 civilians were trapped in areas of Yarmouk where fighting was going on, and newly formed armed Palestinian groups were fighting alongside al-Nusra Front against ISIS (al-Nusra Front and ISIS had previously been allies in the fight for control of the camp). Some 50 ISIS fighters, 12 al-Nusra Front fighters, and 4 civilians were killed (2 of the civilians were allegedly decapitated by ISIS troops), according to the report, and at least 20 buildings were burned, including a hospital, leading a coalition of camp residents to call for a cease-fire on 4/13. The call went unanswered and, by 4/19, ISIS controlled about 70% of the camp, according to PLO envoy to Syria Anwar Abed al-Hadi.

A top Hezbollah commander was killed in an air strike outside Damascus on 5/10. Early reports said the Israeli air force was responsible, but neither Hezbollah not Israel confirmed the news. The strike came 1 mo. after Israeli PM Netanyahu had made a rare acknowledgement of Israeli military operations in Syria. “We act when we need to . . . with dozens of strikes meant to deny Hezbollah game-changing weaponry,” he stated on 4/11.