UNRWA Funding Cuts Deepen Hardship for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon

Doumoua al-Baitan sat on the rooftop of a building in Beirut’s Bourj el-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp as dusk fell, reflecting the growing unease shared by many regarding unrwa palestinian refugees. For decades, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency has supported displaced Palestinians across the Middle East, including Lebanon's 12 official camps where approximately 230,000 refugees reside. However, financial constraints have drastically impacted operations.

The situation worsened following the Trump administration's decision in February 2025 to maintain a US funding freeze initiated the previous year. Consequently, UNRWA has been forced to reduce operating hours by 20 percent since February, shut down several primary healthcare centers and clinics, and shorten the school week to four days for the 2026-27 academic year. Overcrowded classrooms now hold 40 or more pupils, leaving parents like al-Baitan to pay out of pocket for extra private tutoring.

UNRWA funding cuts and service reductions are deepening hardships for vulnerable Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

Most Palestinians in Lebanon remain de facto stateless without citizenship, barring them from various professions such as medicine, law, and engineering. Compounding these structural vulnerabilities, thousands of undocumented refugees and individuals who fled Syria face severe legal and economic barriers due to updated residency policies. Meanwhile, reports from community groups like the Jafra Foundation indicate that the severe economic climate has led to rising crime rates and increased drug use within the camps.

Residents have organized peaceful sit-ins and expressed widespread dissatisfaction over inadequate aid distributions, such as the provision of single five-kilogram flour bags. Additionally, ongoing security instability and Israeli military escalations in southern Lebanon have sparked fears of potential new displacement waves among the refugee population.

Why it matters

The deterioration of UNRWA services directly threatens the basic education, health, water, and sanitation needs of vulnerable Palestinian communities. With fewer resources available for healthcare and schooling, the long-term stability and security of thousands of refugees in Lebanon remain increasingly compromised.