The Ongoing Crisis: Displacement & Refugee Camps

Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon house descendants of those displaced in 1948. There are 12 UNRWA-recognised camps, home to 200,000–300,000 people, though nearly 500,000 are registered.

Refugees live in difficult conditions and face severe legal restrictions. Key camps include Ain al-Hilweh, Shatila, and Nahr al-Bared. Most rely on UNRWA, which is struggling due to funding cuts.

By late 2024, 1.2 million people in Lebanon were displaced by Israeli airstrikes—nearly a quarter of the population—mainly in the south, where villages have been emptied and infrastructure devastated.