Action Group-Al-Suwayda
Al-Suwayda Governorate is witnessing difficult humanitarian conditions due to the worsening crisis of lack of basic services, which directly impacts the lives of Palestinian refugees residing in the area. The approximately 275 families, both Palestinians of 1948 and non-Palestinian origin, are all registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Amid the ongoing collapse in services, refugees are suffering from water, electricity, fuel, and bread shortages. This has exacerbated their suffering and prompted the Relief Committee for Palestinian Refugees in Al-Suwayda to issue a series of urgent appeals to UNRWA and the Palestinian Embassy, demanding relief and medical support.
Shibli Al-Shaer, head of the Relief Committee and UNRWA representative in the governorate, said that Palestinian families are living in conditions that “refuse to be silenced,” noting that the committee is making efforts to secure the transport of patients to the capital, Damascus, in coordination with UNRWA, in addition to distributing limited aid arriving via UNRWA vehicles.
In a letter addressed to the UNRWA Director in Syria, Dr. Atef, the committee explained that “the humanitarian situation in Sweida is witnessing a sharp deterioration, amid the population’s inability to meet their basic needs,” calling for urgent intervention to alleviate the crisis and provide the required support.
Refugees also expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of adequate support from official bodies, including the Palestinian Embassy, the Palestinian Red Crescent, the General Authority for Refugee Employment, and the Palestinian Relief Committee, demanding a more effective role from these bodies in responding to their needs.
The committee criticized what it described as “weak interaction” by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent regarding the conditions of Palestinian refugees in Sweida, stressing the need to enhance humanitarian cooperation with all concerned parties to improve the living conditions of affected families.
As part of its ongoing efforts, the committee extended an open invitation to the international community and humanitarian organizations to communicate directly with it via WhatsApp on the number: 0985869858, with the aim of receiving a comprehensive explanation of the situation and coordinating possible assistance.
The suffering of Palestinian refugees in Sweida is a pressing human rights issue that requires urgent action from relevant parties to ensure the preservation of their human dignity and the provision of the minimum requirements for a decent living under the current circumstances.