Poverty Rate Among Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon Rises to 93%: UN Official

More than 90% of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are now living below the poverty line, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported on Wednesday. The agency cited the words of Leni Stenseth, the deputy commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), who said at a press conference at UNRWA headquarters in Beirut that “most of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are unable to secure the daily life necessities.” Some Palestinians were skipping meals to save money, she said. Emergency funds totaling $13.2 million are needed before the end of the year to cover urgent medical needs and transportation costs so families will be able to keep their children in school. Hoda Samra, UNRWA’s public information officer in Lebanon, said the poverty rate among Palestinian refugees in the country rose from 75% to 93% since the beginning of the year, China’s Xinhua news agency reported. According to UNRWA’s website, 479,000 Palestinian refugees are registered with the agency in Lebanon, of whom 45% live in the country’s 12 refugee camps.