Refugees' Experiences

"My homeland is not a suitcase, and I am not a traveler. I am the lover, and the land is the beloved."

-Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish-

REFUGEE CAMPS

Jordan: 10 refugee camps; 2.39 million refugees
Gaza Strip: 8 refugee camps; 1.58 million refugees
West Bank: 19 refugee camps; 912,879 refugees
Syria: 9 refugee camps (plus 3 unofficial camps); 586,842 refugees
Lebanon: 12 refugee camps; 500,000 refugees

Life in refugee camps

UNRWA refugee camps are crowded, and the conditions are poor with the camps lacking basic infrastructure like roads and sewers. Most refugees live below the poverty line and depend on UNRWA for cash and food.

Host Countries

Depending on the host country, Palestinian refugees have very different experiences. The majority of Palestinian refugees live in Jordan where most have Jordanian citizenship. In Syria, Palestinian refugees have not been able to become citizens but have many of the rights of Syrian citizens, including access to employment, healthcare, and education. The situation for Palestinian refugees in Syria has become more challenging since civil war started in 2011, with many refugees leaving for neighboring countries. In Lebanon, strict restrictions placed on Palestinian refugees, including having jobs and owning property. Israel has occupied the West Bank and Gaza since the Six-Day War in 1967. Following the Hamas takeover in 2007, a blockade on land, air, and sea was imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, severely restricting refugees' lives there.

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