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Palestine refugees in Syria hunker down to weather winter storm

09 January 2015

Winter storm Huda (Zeina in Lebanon) hit the Middle East on Wednesday 7 January, bringing sub-zero temperatures, high winds, rain and snow.  The storm inflicted further suffering on  the 480,000 Palestine refugees in Syria struggling to survive their fourth year of conflict and for those now living in displacement in Lebanon and Jordan.

The storm has already caused major suffering across the Levant, with freezing temperatures killing at least two Syrian refugees in Lebanon. In Jordan, Palestine refugees from Syria have struggled to keep their families warm and dry, with the storm predicted to continue until Sunday.

Over 10,000 displaced Palestine refugees in Syria have taken refuge in UNRWA collective shelters, enduring harsh winter conditions in crowded tents and classrooms.

Many of the 16 UNRWA-run temporary collective shelters in Syria are in repurposed schools, with residents living in former classrooms and in tents in school yards. Ara School Collective Shelter, Damascus, 2015. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.Collective shelters host some of the most vulnerable Palestine refugees in Syria, including female-headed households, children, the elderly and the disabled. Ara School Collective Shelter, Damascus, 2015. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.Many Palestine refugees left their homes with little more than the clothes they wore. For some children, this means making do with sandals and thin sweaters during the cold winter months. Al-Kabri School Collective Shelter, Damascus, 2015. ©UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.Snow in Damascus is rare and draws families out into the courtyards of collective shelters to witness the weather conditions. Al-Kabri School Collective Shelter, Damascus, 2015. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.Residents do their best to clear snow from tents before it turns to slush to help open the passages for residents to use. Ara School Collective Shelter, Damascus, 2015. ©UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.The soaring cost of heating fuel means many Palestine refugees are going cold this winter. These children huddle by a makeshift campfire. Ara School Collective Shelter, Damascus, 2014. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.

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