<\/p>\n
19 November 2025<\/p>\n
The close of 2024 offered the reprieve of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, following a period of intense conflict and widespread displacement. In Syria, the transfer of authority following the fall of Bashar al-Assad\u2019s government unfolded swiftly and with relative order. For many Palestine refugees, this juncture carried a renewed sense of optimism and the hope of return.<\/p>\n
During the first half of 2025, all three countries under this Appeal experienced ongoing uncertainty. In Syria, sporadic violence persisted across several areas, while in Lebanon, ceasefire violations continued, albeit at a low intensity. In Jordan, spillovers from the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon and broader regional tensions weakened tourism, exports and revenues, straining already tight public finances and livelihoods. In this context of hope and fragility, the region saw major population movements, including substantial returns to highly challenging circumstances.<\/p>\n
Palestine refugee returns to and within Syria during the first half of 2025 exceeded 29,000, more than double the approximately 14,000 recorded over the previous five years combined. Inability to pay rent in displacement and the desire for family reunification were key drivers of returns, even to areas where homes remained partially destroyed, some still lacking walls or electricity, and where public infrastructure remained heavily damaged. Food insecurity sharply increased, rising from 56 per cent in 2023 to 63 per cent in 2024, and reached 92 per cent in 2025.<\/p>\n
In Lebanon, by June 2025, nearly all Palestine refugee families displaced by the 2024 conflict had returned, finding their homes largely intact. However, around 201,100 Palestine refugees in Lebanon (PRL), including around 23,600 Palestinian refugees from Syria (PRS), remained among the most socioeconomically marginalized, facing continued restrictions on access to public services and syndicated professions, with over 80 per cent living below the poverty line.<\/p>\n
For PRS in Lebanon, the lack of access to legal residency since May 2024 has affected all facets of life, barring them from formal employment and restricting civil registration of vital events (e.g., birth registration), participation in national school examinations, the issuance of educational certificates and freedom of movement. For many PRS returning to Syria, mounting legal restrictions in their countries of refuge, and associated economic hardship, contributed to the decision to return, whereas inadequate shelter and lack of livelihood opportunities were the most frequently cited challenges to return.<\/p>\n
Jordan continued to grapple with the compounding effects of regional instability, including economic pressures and the protracted presence of refugees. Vulnerable groups, including ex-Gazans and PRS, faced persistent barriers to legal status, livelihoods and essential public services. Although the majority of Palestine refugees in Jordan hold citizenship, approximately 181,649 ex-Gazans and many PRS do not, limiting their access to public services and legal protections. Of the 19,578 Palestinian refugees who fled the Syria conflict and continued to reside in Jordan as at June 2025, 2,946 lacked any form of official Jordanian documentation. This group included most of the 402 PRS residing in Garden Camp, a closed refugee reception facility where restrictions on movement further exacerbate their vulnerability.<\/p>\n
In this context of continued regional fragility, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA or the Agency) maintained essential humanitarian assistance for the most vulnerable Palestine refugees across Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan amid protracted displacement, rising return movements, and mounting socioeconomic pressures.<\/p>\n
For Palestine refugees returning to conflict-devastated areas in the hope of rebuilding their lives, the Agency provided shelter support as well as education, health, and protection services. At the same time, the broader population of crisis-affected Palestine refugees who remained displaced continued to rely almost entirely on Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA for essential services. These include critical multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) and protection support, including legal aid to address persistent barriers to obtaining legal documentation, as well as assistance related to the regularisation of legal status.<\/p>\n
MPCA remained a flexible lifeline for vulnerable families struggling to meet rent, food, and other basic needs. A total of 25,348 PRS (22,616 in Lebanon and 2,732 in Jordan) received MPCA, providing much-needed relief amid rising living costs and economic insecurity. In Lebanon, 8,332 families also received winterisation assistance to help them endure harsh seasonal conditions.<\/p>\n
Health care remained central to the Agency\u2019s response; across the three fields, around 570,000 primary health care consultations were delivered or supported, alongside 3,463 hospitalizations subsidised in Lebanon and Jordan for chronic and critical conditions. Over 21,900 Palestine refugees accessed psychosocial support services (PSS) in Lebanon, addressing the trauma of displacement and conflict.<\/p>\n
Education services continued despite immense challenges, with nearly 86,400 children supported through the Appeal enrolled in Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA schools across all three fields. Of these, approximately 62,000 benefited from counselling and\/or recreational activities designed to help them cope with the effects of prolonged instability.<\/p>\n
In Syria, where an increasing number of returnees were faced with destroyed homes and infrastructure, 43 families (175 individuals) received cash assistance for minor shelter repairs under the self-help approach in Yarmouk camp, while 603 Palestine refugees accessed short-term cash-for-work (CfW) opportunities and 1,729 students enrolled in long- and short-term technical and vocational education and training courses to support future livelihoods.<\/p>\n
Protection interventions remained essential across all three fields, with 5,303 Palestine refugees receiving legal assistance to address issues such as legal documentation barriers affecting access to services, employment, and freedom of movement. Explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) reached over 3,200 Palestine refugees in Syria and Lebanon, raising awareness of the dangers posed by explosive remnants of war in contaminated areas.<\/p>\n
To strengthen accountability and improve efficiency, the Agency advanced digital identity verification (DIV) in the first half of 2025. In Lebanon, 224,791 Palestine refugees were verified, including 201,136 PRL and 23,655 PRS, while in Jordan, 19,578 PRS completed verification during the reporting period. In Syria, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA is engaging with the Interim Government to roll out DIV. The process serves as a cornerstone for delivering targeted and transparent assistance to Palestine refugees, enhancing both efficiency and accountability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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