UNRWA Funding Crisis Deepens Plight for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon

Amid Lebanon’s ongoing economic turmoil, the plight of Palestinian refugees has intensified, exacerbated by a deepening funding crisis facing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). In Lebanon’s Mar Elias camp, residents like Nahida Ajam rely on acts of kindness for basic sustenance, with rising prices making everyday essentials increasingly unaffordable. With limited employment opportunities and mounting expenses, individuals like Hoda Salem struggle to make ends meet, fearing the loss of vital UNRWA subsidies that help sustain their families.

The UNRWA plays a crucial role in providing essential services to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, offering education, healthcare, and basic assistance to vulnerable populations. However, the agency faces imminent collapse as funding from several donor countries has been suspended, leaving it on the brink of insolvency. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called for urgent reconsideration of funding cuts, recognizing the dire consequences of UNRWA’s potential dismantling on both humanitarian and security fronts in the region. As Lebanon grapples with its own economic crisis, the decline in UNRWA support further strains the country’s resources, exacerbating the challenges faced by vulnerable communities already reeling from poverty and instability.