UNRWA Funding Crisis Worsens Plight of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon

In the heart of Beirut's Palestinian refugee camp of Bourj el-Barajneh, Doumoua al-Baitan observes the sunset from her rooftop, a familiar scene for many Palestinian refugees who, like her, were born and raised within these camps. For decades, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been a cornerstone of support for Palestinians in Lebanon. However, recent funding cuts have severely hampered UNRWA's capacity to deliver essential aid. This situation has been exacerbated by the US administration's decision in February 2025 to continue a funding freeze that began the previous year.

The impact of these funding shortfalls is stark: UNRWA has been compelled to close or reduce operating hours for schools, healthcare centers, and clinics across Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camps. Refugees have reported to Al Jazeera a decrease in available work, diminished medical support, overcrowded classrooms, and a concerning rise in the use and sale of illegal drugs. Al-Baitan shared her struggle, stating, "My kids cannot retain what they are taught in class," due to the overcrowding. This divorced mother of four now pays $200 monthly for after-school lessons for two of her children, an amount equivalent to her rent.

Since 1950, UNRWA has been instrumental in supporting Palestinian refugees throughout the Middle East. Lebanon hosts 12 Palestinian refugee camps, home to a significant portion of the country's approximately 230,000 Palestinian population. UNRWA's services within these camps encompass education, healthcare, relief and social services, camp infrastructure development, microfinance, and emergency assistance. The displacement of Palestinians into Lebanon dates back to the 1948 Nakba, when the establishment of Israel led to the displacement of 750,000 Palestinians.

Today, many Palestinians in Lebanon exist in a de facto stateless condition, lacking Lebanese citizenship. This status effectively bars them from numerous professions, including medicine, law, engineering, and pharmacy, rendering the community one of the most vulnerable in Lebanon. This vulnerability is amplified by UNRWA's severe funding deficit. Fadi al-Tayyar, an UNRWA spokesperson, informed Al Jazeera in October that the agency required an additional $70 million to $80 million for 2026, necessitating a 20 percent reduction in service working hours since February. Consequently, many schools are transitioning to a four-day school week for the 2026-27 academic year, affecting over 35,000 pupils across 58 schools. In the Bourj el-Barajneh camp, residents report that most schools have closed, forcing students into classrooms with 40 or more pupils. A report by the Jafra Foundation, a non-profit supporting vulnerable communities including Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, highlights that the funding shortfall "threatens the education, healthcare, water, and sanitation services provided by UNRWA and exacerbates the pressures on millions of Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operation: the Gaza Strip, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria."

The economic repercussions are significant. UNRWA's June 2026 emergency report indicated that only 15 out of 26 primary healthcare centers and clinics remain operational, with eleven having been shut down. The precarious situation impacts the broader Palestinian community, with additional hardships faced by some refugees. Between 3,000 and 5,000 Palestinian refugees are undocumented, and an estimated 19,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria reside in Lebanon, many having fled the Syrian civil war. A policy change in Lebanon in May 2024 halted residency renewals for many Syrians, increasing their risk of detention, complicating legal employment, and hindering registration for education or civil matters.

Locals and experts alike attribute the proliferation of drug-related issues and violence within the camps to the funding shortages. Fadi Abu Halawa, security officer at the Jafra Foundation in Beirut, told Al Jazeera, "There is a very tired economic situation and there is no work." He noted that Jafra's monthly report documented an increase in crime and drug activity within the camps, stating, "Of course, all of this is 100 percent due to the economy."

In response to funding cuts, job scarcity, and inadequate services, camp residents have organized sit-ins, including one planned for Friday in Shatila camp, one of Beirut's largest. Jafra's October report indicated widespread dissatisfaction with UNRWA's recent bread and flour distribution, which was deemed insufficient for households, especially larger ones, and failed to compensate for reduced services and aid. The ongoing conflict involving Israel has also affected the camps, particularly the five located in southern Lebanon, which have experienced displacement and attacks. In February, Israeli attacks across Lebanon resulted in 12 deaths, including two in Ein el-Hilweh, Lebanon's largest Palestinian camp. Months prior, at least 13 people, including 11 children playing football, were killed in a camp incident. The Jafra report from October expressed concerns about security instability in the camps due to recent Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, with fears that escalating operations could approach the camps and trigger further displacement.