The Syrian war forced more than half of the Palestinian refugees to move away from Syria, according to UNRWA
"The refugee exodus from Syria was a result of the brutal conflict and lack of security. 120.000 searched for peace and security in the neighboring countries, especially in Lebanon and Jordan," UNRWA said in a statement.
It continued, "Palestinians constituted a vital society of 550.000 persons who came to Syria in two main waves in 1948 and 1967, and settled in 12 camps all over the country."
Al-Yarmouk camp for the Palestinian refugees acquired the name of Palestinian Refugee's capital in the diaspora.
UNRWA has been working in Syria since 1950. Since the beginning of the armed conflict in 2011, UNRWA intensified its operations to meet the need of the Palestinian refugees.
"UNRWA is the main supplier of humanitarian aids and main services for about 438.000 Palestinian refugees in Syria, while 91% live in extreme poverty," UNRWA said.
"If you are a Palestinian refugee in Syria, you probably live in extreme hardship," Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, said.
UNRWA is the lifeblood of about 420.000 Palestinian refugees, who are the most vulnerable in Syria. Conflicts, migration, and suffering constituted a crisis that was doubled when the COVID-19 pandemic invaded Syria, according to UNRWA.
"45.000 Palestinian refugees receive health, social, and financial services in Lebanon and Jordan," UNRWA stated in its statement.
It added, "UNRWA's ability to meet the needs of the Palestinian refugees coming from Syria was affected by the funding crisis which stormed UNRWA in the past few years."
UNRWA lost 40% of the classes in its schools and 25% of the health centers became unserviceable, as well as it lost 19 employees in the ongoing conflict for 10 years.
As Philippe Lazzarini said, "the frightening photos of damage in Al-Yarmouk camp remained in my head after a few months of my visit to Syria. That scene of children wearing their blue and pink school uniform while going out from under the debris to get in a school bus was surreal."
UNRWA eventually said that it seeks to rehabilitate the constructions in Syria so they become able to provide services in the regions where Palestinian refugees live and rehabilitate a building in Al-Yarmouk camp as a multi-purpose building.
Source : Safa