UNRWA shelters and assists displaced as hostilities persist despite truce
By 4 May, the Ministry of Social Affairs had documented the displacement of over 1.1 million individuals, including 124,231 people in 625 shelters.
Active hostilities continued in several areas in the south of Lebanon, despite the ceasefire.
Following the three-week extension of the ceasefire announced on 23 April, gradual returns to Palestine Refugee camps were recorded. However, after renewed evacuation orders, some movements were halted and new displacements were observed. Monitoring returns remains challenging due to the fluid nature of population movements.
A community kitchen at UNRWA’s Siblin shelter has been open since 1 April, in partnership with INITIATE-the Community Organization for Development and Empowerment, and co-funded by U.N. Women.
The Women’s Programs Association has been operating a kitchen at the UNRWA Battir shelter since 3 April.
In parallel, UNRWA said it is maintaining operational coordination with other partners including IOM, UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, NRC, ICRC, COOPI, ACF, Terre des Hommes Italy, Save the Children, DanChurchAid, Basmeh & Zeitooneh, ANERA, Mousawat, Najdeh, Tadamon, Soufra (Makani), Taawon (Welfare Association), Nashet, and the Community-Based Rehabilitation Association (CBRA).
Since the start of the emergency, UNRWA has provided 113,591 medical consultations at UNRWA operational clinics, including 11,561 for displaced persons and 102,030 for non-displaced persons. Another 1,896 consultations have been provided at the two UNRWA emergency shelters.
No disease outbreaks in the shelters have been reported.
Hospitalization for conflict-related injuries is covered by the Ministry of Public Health and the ICRC.
The UNRWA Education Program Emergency Preparedness and Continuity Plan has been in effect since 10 March, aligned with the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE).
By 5 May, all 60 UNRWA schools were operational, with 38 offering in-person learning and 22 operating remotely.
Security assessments are ongoing in schools affected by the conflict, which are currently operating remotely, to check for unexploded ordnance before reopening in person. Remote learning will continue until security risk management assessments are finalized and operations can safely resume.
Remote learning focuses on core subjects (numeracy, literacy, sciences), while in-person schools deliver the full curriculum. UNRWA distributed essential learning materials to support both remote and in-person education. Guidance for remote teaching and learning has been developed to support teachers in delivering effective remote education.
During the reporting period, 14,291 students (7,431 girls and 6,860 boys) received at least one psychosocial support activity delivered by 40 school counsellors.
Psychosocial support and recreational activities in the two emergency shelters are provided by Al-Jana in Siblin and Beit Atfal Assumoud in Battir. During the reporting period, Al-Jana reached 151 children with psychosocial support activities, while Beit Atfal Assumoud provided psychosocial support activities to 122 children.
By 5 May, a total of 483 children had registered in UNRWA’s shelters (219 boys and 264 girls).
Since the onset of the emergency, UNRWA Social Work teams have provided psychosocial support and awareness raising activities to 1,276 internally displaced persons (IDPs), including 973 females and 303 males.
By 5 May, 529 displaced persons were reached through Explosive Ordnance Risk Education awareness sessions at Siblin emergency shelter.
During the reporting period, UNRWA’s Social Work teams in Battir and Siblin shelters have provided psychosocial support, psychosocial first aid, family and individual interventions, and case management to 1,921 displaced persons (1,285 females and 636 males). These activities aim to reduce community tensions and strengthen emotional well-being and coping capacities.
UNRWA’s Social Work teams provided awareness raising sessions for 331 displaced persons on hygiene promotion, child protection, rights and duties within shelters, child safety, and preventing drug use. Additionally, 114 displaced persons in the shelters received psychological first aid to address acute psychosocial distress.
UNRWA distributed 205 ready-to-eat kits, 7,678 hot meals, 7,195 cold meals and 1,850 bread packs through partners, including WFP, Anera, the SHEILD Association, Basmeh & Zeitooneh, Siblin Municipality, the Women’s Programs Association, and the local organization Nashet.
Source: Naharnet
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