Hamas rejects UNRWA measures against Palestinians in Lebanon

The Palestinian movement of Hamas has rejected an announcement by the UNRWA that it will suspend monthly cash assistance for housing to Palestine refugees from Syria (PRS) living in Lebanon.

In a press statement on Friday, Hamas' refugees affairs office said that 12,000 families of Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria to Lebanon will be at risk of losing their shelter or getting less foodstuffs due to UNRWA's decision.

The office asserted that offering money for funding refugees is the responsibility of this organization, as well as the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

It also accused the UNRWA of failing to shoulder its responsibility toward the refugees.

Hamas called on the Lebanese government and the international community to exercise pressure on the UNRWA to reconsider this decision.

Earlier, the UNRWA said that starting July 2015, more than 43,000 Palestine refugees from Syria in Lebanon who receive monthly cash assistance of US$ 100 per family towards housing and US$ 27 per person towards food will stop receiving the cash assistance for housing.

While some funds remain for UNRWA to continue cash assistance for food over the next few months, the Agency has exhausted all funding to support housing assistance for PRS families.

“This assistance is the main source of income for over 95 per cent of those refugees who have little access to livelihood opportunities or any public services,” said UNRWA Director in Lebanon Matthias Schmale.