Human Rights
Report
The Palestinian Association for Human
Rights (Witness) has conducted a field visit to assess the situation of people
displaced by the ongoing Israeli attacks on various parts of Lebanon,
particularly in the south. The visit included displacement centers in the Nahr
al-Bared and Beddawi camps in Tripoli. The visit revealed the challenging
living conditions of those displaced from Palestinian camps in Tyre, Saida,
Beirut, and Bekaa Valley. The growing number of displaced people has placed
considerable strain on the infrastructure in these centers.
Conditions of people in displacement
centers:
According to initial statistics,
more than 2000 families distributed among schools and centers as follows:
· 440 families in Battir School
· 450 families in Jabal Tabor School
· 180 families in Tubas School
· 230 families in Gaza School
· 200 families in Majiddo & Mazzar Complex
· 530 families in Amqa Secondary School
Family members are separated in
these centers, with floors designated for males aged 13 and above, while women
and children under 12 years old stay on separate floors. Family members only
meet in the school courtyards.
As for basic
services like showers, there is one unit for males and another for females.
However, the limited number of shower facilities makes it difficult for
everyone to have access to daily showers.
Major
challenges:
The
displaced in the shelters are suffering from severe shortage of essential supplies.
There is a shortage of mattresses, pillows, and blankets due to UNRWA's limited
preparation and the exploitation of increased demand by local merchants. They
are also facing a severe food shortage, with UNRWA only providing canned goods
that last for three days. Many people rely on individual initiatives to obtain
meals, but these efforts are quite limited. The displaced also lack essential
personal hygiene products, such as soap and shampoo, which adversely affects
their health and cleanliness. Regarding drinking water, they depend on
individual donations and desalination stations to meet their needs due to the
absence of reliable and sustainable sources of clean water.
Management
and healthcare services:
The
principal of each school, with the help of four coordinators, manages the
registration and sorting of displaced people, as well as the distribution of
aid. Medical services are provided at the camp clinic, which accommodates
around 800 patients each day. A new medical facility has been established for
displaced Lebanese and Syrian families, while Palestinian refugees are referred
to hospitals that have contracts with UNRWA. Furthermore, patients requiring
kidney dialysis are sent to Safad Hospital, run by the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Conditions
of Families Outside the Shelters:
Around 600
families in Nahr al-Bared camp and 500 families in Beddawi camp have either
rented homes or are staying with relatives. UNRWA offers no support to those
families except for healthcare, even though they are in urgent need of food and
basic necessities.
Position of popular
committees and factions:
The popular
committees in Nahr al-Bared and Beddawi camps have expressed their
dissatisfaction with UNRWA’s inadequate response to the emergency situation,
despite the agency's announcement in April 2024 about forming an emergency
committee. Although UNRWA had pledged to establish cooking facilities, these
kitchens have yet to be equipped, placing additional pressure on civil society
organizations to address the needs of the displaced population.
Recommendations:
The
Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness) calls on the international
community and UNRWA to fulfill their responsibilities toward the displaced
individuals in the northern Lebanese camps by providing urgent assistance that
includes food, essential supplies, and sanitation facilities. International
donors should enhance their support for UNRWA to allow for a more effective
response to the escalating humanitarian crises. Urgent action is needed to
improve the infrastructure in the shelters and establish additional medical
facilities to reduce the strain on current clinics. Witness also urges the
activation of emergency programs that were previously announced to ensure that
the humanitarian needs of displaced individuals are adequately addressed.
The Palestinian Association of Human Rights
(Witness)
October
7, 2024