Nur Shams Camp

Nur Shams camp is located in the northern part of the West Bank and is roughly three kilometres east of Tulkarm City. The first refugees of the camp took shelter in the Jenin area until a snowstorm destroyed their tents and forced them to relocate to the Tulkarm area. From this incident, Nur Shams camp was established in 1952.

*Nur Shams refugee camp. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Dominiek Benoot*

The economic situation in the camp is characterized by high levels of unemployment due to the absence of work opportunities in the area. Overcrowding is another issue in Nur Shams camp, in addition to the lack of activities for children and youth. UNRWA educational staff members have recognized this issue and in response offer after-school activities and additional skill development classes. Due to these extra efforts, the schools in the camp have received several recognitions of merit.

An open sewerage channel that runs from Nablus to Tulkarm borders the camp. In winter, the sewage flow swells due to rainwater. Subsequent floods cause damage and health hazards. An UNRWA maintenance initiative aims to resolve this issue by building a sewerage pipeline leading to a treatment plant in Israel.

Read more about Nur Shams refugee camp

REFUGEE CAMPS IN the West Bank

We provide services in 19 Palestine refugee camps in the West Bank. UNRWA does not administer or police the camps, as this is the responsibility of the host authorities.

Quick Facts

Refugees in camps

Around 7,350 refugees live in Nur Shams camp
They originate from villages in the Haifa region

Official camps

Nur Shams camp was established in 1952
It sits on 0.21 sq km, with an estimated population density of 50,000 persons per sq km

Unrwa In Nur Shams Camp

Schools

Two schools serve more than 1,700 students

Health Centre

One health centre provides primary health care including reproductive health, infant and child care, immunizations, screening and medical check-ups and treatment