Damascus – Action Group
The Palestinian embassy in Damascus announced that the Department of Refugee Affairs in the Palestine Liberation Organization, in cooperation with the embassy and the organisation’s factions, began distributing financial aid to a number of the poorest Palestinian families in the camps and Palestinian gatherings in Syria since last Monday.
According to the embassy’s statement, the number of benefiting families is approximately 3,834, and the amounts are being distributed through approved banks, as part of a programme dedicated to supporting the most affected segments of the population due to difficult living conditions.
In contrast, a number of Palestinian refugees in several camps and gatherings expressed dissatisfaction with the limited number of beneficiaries, considering that the assistance only covers a small percentage of the needy families and does not meet basic living requirements, especially with the approach of winter and rising costs of fuel, heating, and school supplies.
Some parents also questioned the criteria and data used to determine the lists of beneficiaries, at a time when refugees are witnessing a noticeable decline in the role of UNRWA in relief and services in recent years.
For their part, several activists expressed hope that the Palestine Liberation Organization would regain its leading role in caring for the affairs of Palestinian refugees in Syria, and that support and assistance mechanisms would be developed to ensure that they reach as many affected families as possible.
This assistance comes at a time when the living and economic challenges facing Palestinian refugees in Syria are increasing, amid limited resources and a lack of sustainable support from UNRWA.
