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A/HRC/22/59 GE.13-10627 43 (156,801 in Turkey,e 200,350 in Jordan,f 218,663 in Lebanon,g 73,150 in Iraq, 13,873 in Egypt and 5,417 in North Africa.h 5. The situation for Syria’s 500,000 Palestine refugees is precarious. UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestine refugees, estimates that 400,000 Palestine refugees across Syria are now in urgent need of assistance and 17,000 have approached UNRWA for assistance in Lebanon and there are reportedly 3300 in Jordan.i It is essential that the principle of non-refoulement by neighbouring States be ensured. 6. The humanitarian situation has deteriorated alarmingly. The number of casualties is on the rise. In December, the OHCHR reported 60,000 deaths since March 2011 based on an external assessment of figures from six NGOsj and the Government. The latter places the number of casualties at 11,713. There is potential for further disaggregation of data from all sources. The number of deaths verified by the Commission from 1,391 interviews is 1,190. The intensification of violence in Damascus over recent weeks has severely impacted the Palestine refugee community, as about three-quarters of the community live in this area. Shelling and clashes in and around Yarmouk camp south of Damascus city forced most of the approximately 150,000 Palestine refugees living there to flee. Many are reported to have fled to other parts of Damascus and rural Damascus, while others have left for Homs and Lebanon.k 7. Syria’s education system has paid and continues to pay a heavy toll in the conflict. In December, the Syrian Ministry of Education informed its partners that about 1,468 schools across the country are being used as collective centres hosting a large number of the two million people who have left their homes because of the current events, and that by now 2,362 schools are reported targeted, damaged or looted corresponding to more than 10 percent of Syria’s total number of 22,000 public and private schools. The numbers of schools damaged or occupied by people who have left their homes continues to increase. The movement of affected students in perceived “safe” areas has strained schools’ capacity, both in terms of physical capacity and schools’ ability to provide quality education.l School attendances ranges from 38 to 100 percent across Government controlled areas and appears severely limited in opposition controlled areas and is cited as one of the reasons refugees leave the country. 8. In all neighbouring countries education for Syrian refugees remains a priority of host Governments and the international community.m 9. The Syria Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan (SHARP-January-to June 2013) launched in December, jointly with the revised Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) identifies damage and destruction to housing has one of the critical impacts of the current emergency in Syria. Accounts from Syrian interviewees demonstrated multiple reports of shortages of food, water, fuel, electricity, medicine and lack of shelter. The Commission documented the lack of access to basic services and provisions being particularly acute in e The refugee population in Turkey has increased by circa. 30,000 since the end of November 2012, 21 January 2013. f Figures include 52, 582 refugees reported as awaiting registration in Jordan, 21 January 2013. g Figures include 67, 061 refugees reported as awaiting registration in Lebanon, 21 January 2013. h http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php, UNHCR Refugee Response, 22 January 2013. 25,000 Syrian refugees also registered in European countries. i UNRWA, Syria crisis situation update Issue 30, 11 January 2013. j Individual NGO numbers ranged from XX to YY. k UNRWA, Syria crisis situation update Issue 30, 11 January 2013. l The Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan for Syria (January to June 2013). m The Syria Regional Response Plan (January to June 2013)