BEIRUT, (PIC)
Palestinian refugee camps in the Tyre region of southern Lebanon are entering a highly sensitive phase, with escalating security threats and continuous Israeli bombing in their vicinity, compared to an almost complete absence of emergency plans and organized response to humanitarian needs.
Under this reality, thousands of refugees live in a state of complex anxiety, where field risks overlap with living and service crises, making the camps an environment open to more dangerous possibilities at any moment.
Absence of official guidance confuses residents at times of danger
With every round of escalation, the same scene is repeated inside the Rashidieh, Burj al-Shemali, and al-Bass camps: sounds of explosions, intensive aircraft overflights, and unclear warnings, met with a complete absence of any official guidance or a clear response plan.
This absence pushes residents to make individual decisions at critical moments, without knowing the safe destination or the mechanism for action, which increases the chances of exposure to danger, especially in overcrowded areas that lack safe infrastructure.
In this context, the head of the Popular Committee in the Burj al-Shemali camp, Mohammed Rashid, says, “We are facing a very worrying reality, as people live under daily threat without the presence of clear instructions or safe places they can resort to during the bombing.”
He adds in a statement to the PIC correspondent that the popular committees are making efforts within limited capabilities, but the absence of general coordination and emergency plans makes the response weak and insufficient.
Population density doubles the magnitude of risks
Despite this reality, the vast majority of residents remain inside the camps, as estimates indicate that the displacement rate did not exceed 20%, in a clear indication of the limited options available to refugees.
Residents confirm that the cost of displacement, the absence of alternative places, and social ties push many to stay despite the risks, which makes any potential escalation more dangerous due to the high population density.
Rashid warns of this, saying, “The continued stay of this large number inside the camp without a clear plan for evacuation or protection raises the possibility of human losses if the circle of bombing expands.”
Decline in services exacerbates the humanitarian crisis
In parallel with the security threats, the service reality inside the camps is witnessing a sharp decline, amidst increasing complaints about the actual absence of UNRWA’s role, especially in light of the emergency conditions.
Residents confirm that this absence is no longer limited to cutting services, but has extended to include the weakness of the humanitarian response, which has doubled the burdens on families.
In the health sector, the picture appears even gloomier, as clinics suffer from a near-total shutdown, opening their doors very limitedly, often for one day weekly to distribute medicines, without providing sufficient treatment services, which puts patients, especially those with chronic diseases, in front of increasing health risks.
Children, the weakest link in the equation of fear
The deepest impact of these conditions is clearly evident on children, who live under daily psychological pressure as a result of the sounds of aircraft and explosions.
Testimonies from families indicate that children have begun to suffer from acute states of fear, including panic from sudden sounds, hiding, and refusing to leave homes, in addition to sleep disturbances and recurring nightmares.
Specialists warn that the continuation of this reality without urgent psychological and social intervention may leave long-term effects, affecting the structure and behavior of the next generation.
Education and daily life in a state of paralysis
The educational process was not immune to this deterioration, as educational activities inside the camps have stopped, and educational opportunities have significantly declined, whether due to the closure of schools or the difficulty of pursuing distance learning.
This is due to the weakness of technical capabilities, overcrowding inside homes, and the psychological state that children are experiencing, making learning a postponed priority compared to the necessities of survival.
The situation has also reflected on daily life as a whole, as movement inside the camps has shrunk, and social activities have declined, in light of an atmosphere dominated by anticipation and fear.
Warnings and calls for urgent action
In light of these facts, warnings are mounting that the continuation of the current situation without organized intervention may lead to a further worsening of humanitarian conditions.
The head of the Popular Committee, Mohammed Rashid, emphasizes at the end of his talk, “The continuation of this negligence will double the risks to the lives of thousands of refugees, especially children and the sick, therefore we demand a clear emergency plan, and urgent and coordinated intervention before things get out of control.”
On the other hand, activists and local figures call for the necessity of Palestinian and humanitarian bodies assuming their responsibilities, and working to prepare effective emergency plans, enhance field coordination, and provide the minimum level of protection and services.
