Al-Jalil (Wavel) Palestinian refugee camp, located on the outskirts of Baalbek in Lebanon’s Beqaa Governorate, stands as a living witness to the ongoing suffering of Palestinian refugees since the Nakba of 1948. Established in 1952 on the ruins of a former French military barracks, the camp has over time turned into an overcrowded area lacking the most basic elements of a dignified life, amid official marginalization and the continuous reduction of services provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
With Lebanon’s political, economic, and social crises worsening, the plight of the camp’s residents has grown more complex, particularly with the absence of social protection and the lack of any comprehensive development plan to improve their living conditions.
This field study, issued by the Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness), aims to present the reality as it is—through field visits, direct meetings with residents and stakeholders, and documentation of violations affecting the residents’ basic rights—based on international human rights standards, particularly the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
First: General Background of the Camp
Al-Jalil Camp is the only Palestinian camp in the Beqaa region. It was established in 1952, and according to civil society sources, it currently houses around 850 families (620 Palestinian refugees from Lebanon, 220 Palestinian refugees from Syria, and 10 non-Palestinian Syrian refugee families). The camp’s popular committee, however, estimates the number at over 1,265 families, including those living inside the camp as well as in neighboring districts and Baalbek city and its suburbs.
This discrepancy is due to differences in estimation methods and definitions: civil society organizations count only families residing within the camp boundaries, while the popular committee uses a broader definition that includes displaced families living nearby. Witness therefore recommends unifying data sources and adopting a precise definition of "refugee household” for documentation and human rights monitoring purposes.
The camp’s infrastructure is in severe disrepair, with houses marked by dampness and cracks. These damages worsened after the Israeli war on Lebanon in 2024, when airstrikes hit the camp’s surroundings. Meanwhile, UNRWA has halted rehabilitation and repair programs for years, a clear violation of the right to adequate housing under Article 11 of the ICESCR.
Field statistics show unemployment and poverty rates in the camp exceeding 85%, with conditions worsening in winter due to the suspension of seasonal work. Most families rely on remittances from abroad, reflecting the absence of even minimal social protection—a direct violation of refugees’ right to an adequate standard of living.
Second: Health Conditions in the Camp
Residents suffer from poor health conditions due to weak health infrastructure, a shortage of medical staff, and the unavailability of essential chronic medications. These conditions violate the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health under Article 12 of the ICESCR.
Key findings by Witness include:
UNRWA’s health department contracts with small primary clinics instead of high-capacity hospitals such as Dar Al-Amal University Hospital.
No coverage for dialysis costs for five patients, even though each session costs over $50, with an average monthly expense of more than $200 per patient. The Lebanese Ministry of Health covers only 80% of the cost, leaving patients to cover the rest without UNRWA support.
Cancer patients are forced to bear extra costs by purchasing their medication from distant pharmacies (in Sidon and Beirut), violating their right to access medicine.
Refusal to cover radiotherapy for cancer patients due to the absence of contracts with specialized hospitals, despite the presence of 32 cancer cases in the camp and surrounding area.
Partial coverage of treatment costs not exceeding 50%, with an annual ceiling of $8,000 per case—coverage far below medical realities.
Lack of specialist doctors in Beqaa clinics, with only a cardiologist visiting twice per month.
Severe shortages of chronic disease medications, forcing residents to buy them at their own expense despite the dire economic situation.
Additionally, the Al-Shifaa Association provides healthcare to over 500 patients monthly (about half of them Palestinian), covering consultations, first aid, X-rays, laboratory tests, and dental care. However, this remains insufficient to compensate for UNRWA’s reduced role.
The "Martyr Majed Abu Sharar” clinic of the Palestinian Red Crescent has been stripped of its equipment, which was transferred to Al-Nasra Hospital, and now functions solely as an emergency clinic.
Third: Water Crisis and Infrastructure
UNRWA provides water through two wells and two tanks, but quality remains poor, forcing residents to buy drinking water at a monthly cost of up to $100 per family.
Previous donor-funded attempts to drill new wells failed after technical tests revealed water contamination, without UNRWA issuing any official public announcement. The lack of transparency in water testing reports undermines proper resource management and the right to safe drinking water (UN General Assembly Resolution 64/292, Article 14).
Later, a Japanese-funded well was drilled, and it was announced that a large water reserve was found at a depth of 860 meters. However, the supply proved insufficient, leading to rationing and rotating distribution between neighborhoods (only one hour per day), undermining stable living conditions and violating the right to water.
Fourth: Sanitation and UNRWA Service Cuts
Sanitation services in the camp have sharply declined. The number of sanitation workers dropped from eight to five after three retired, and UNRWA replaced them with temporary workers under the KFW program for only 40 days. This approach lacks sustainability and violates the right to a clean and healthy environment.
Fifth: Heating and Lack of Winter Protection
UNRWA distributes heating aid annually, either in diesel fuel or cash, but the amount covers only 3–4 weeks, whereas the harsh Beqaa winter lasts more than five months. This shortage directly threatens the right to life and health, especially for children and the elderly.
Sixth: Education and School Infrastructure Challenges
The camp has only one UNRWA school—Al-Jalil Co-educational Secondary School—serving about 950 students of all levels. Problems include:
Overcrowded classrooms and lack of equipment.
Loss of several teaching positions after UNRWA’s April 2025 decision to merge schools, costing the school a principal, a vice-principal, and three teachers (equivalent to 2.5 teaching posts).
Merger of Tiberias and Al-Qastal schools under one administration without appointing a deputy.
Internal class mergers due to declining student numbers, harming individual learning quality.
Chronic heating system failures without a clear repair plan.
High dropout rates, especially among boys, due to economic pressures pushing them into the labor market.
Noticeable decline in academic performance, particularly in official exam results, threatening students’ academic futures.
These practices constitute a violation of the child’s right to quality and inclusive education (Article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child).
Seventh: Civil Society Organizations
There are fewer than 10 registered and active NGOs in the camp, most facing severe funding shortages due to halted international aid, particularly from USAID. Their activities are limited to relief programs, educational support, and small initiatives, with no comprehensive human rights or development strategies.
Lack of coordination among these organizations leads to duplication of services and absence of program complementarity. This calls for the development of effective partnership mechanisms and a unified development plan to reduce gaps and ensure program inclusiveness.
Recommendations
Based on the principle of the right to dignity and social justice, and in line with UNRWA’s legal and humanitarian obligations, the Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness) recommends:
Revising health contracting policies in the Beqaa and expanding full, equitable treatment coverage for cancer and kidney failure cases.
Providing clean, safe drinking water through transparent, sustainable plans, including drilling wells that meet standards and ensuring fair distribution.
Ending temporary employment in the sanitation sector and permanently hiring workers to guarantee a safe, healthy environment.
Increasing winter heating allocations to meet the needs of families in a cold region like the Beqaa, with improved distribution systems.
Addressing education challenges by hiring new teaching staff, reversing harmful school mergers, and improving school infrastructure.
Strengthening civil society organizations through sustainable financial support and technical training, and launching joint coordination platforms among active associations.
Calling on the international community and donors to fulfill their responsibilities toward Palestinian refugees in the Beqaa, as it is a marginalized area with high needs.