Fear of Destruction and the Fear of Starting from Scratch: Palestinian Syrians in Türkiye

Fayez Abu Eid – Action Group

Amid the ongoing transformations in Syria, Palestinian Syrians in Turkey find themselves in a predicament, 
finding it difficult to return to Syria after the fall of the former Assad regime. This is due to the destruction 
of their homes, the lack of services in their camps, the dilapidated infrastructure, and the fear of starting from scratch. 
Abu Jaafar, a displaced person from Khan al-Shih camp in Gaziantep province, told the Action Group’s correspondent with 
deep sorrow: “I’m thinking about returning to the camp where I grew up and the home where I was born and raised, but 
unfortunately, the security and economic conditions in Syria are making me hesitate about this decision.” He added that 
fear of the lack of job opportunities and the instability of the situation prevents him from making the decision to 
return at the present time.

Ayman, from Yarmouk camp, who currently resides in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul, describes the idea of returning 
to Syria as a distant dream, attributing this to the loss of most of his family members: some were arrested and died 
under torture, others died as a result of brutal shelling, and others left Syria for Europe in search of safety and 
security.

Ayman, who lived through the siege of Yarmouk Camp and tasted the bitterness of hunger and deprivation, says, 
“All I have left are the painful memories of Syria.” He bows his head, his voice almost breaking into tears. 
“Why should I return? And for whom?”

When I asked Jamal, from Handarat Camp in Izmir, about the possibility of returning to Syria, he answered 
immediately, without hesitation, and in a firm voice, “No.” He continued, “90% of the camp is destroyed, including 
my home. I don’t have the financial ability to rebuild, and there are no job opportunities there. It’s best for me 
and my family to stay in Turkey until God decides.”

Refugee testimonies show that the fear of destruction and starting from scratch is a major obstacle to the return 
of Palestinians of Syria to Syria. Furthermore, they indicate that the security and economic conditions in Syria 
are still not conducive to return. He adds that the lack of job opportunities and stable security are among the 
main factors preventing them from making the decision to return.

The Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, represented by its director, Fayez Abu Eid, participated in a 
consultative meeting organized by the Fidar Association on Sunday, December 29, 2024, with a number of Syrian 
Palestinian refugees residing in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul. The meeting aimed to discuss their opinions 
and suggestions, review their problems and orientations regarding returning to their homes and properties in 
Syria, and their vision for the next phase after the fall of the Assad regime.

It is worth noting that Palestinian-Syrian refugees in Turkey, whose number is estimated between 12,000 and 15,000, 
suffer from a lack of any kind of international protection. Despite their registration with the United Nations 
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the latter claims that they are no longer within its 
those in which it provided services.