The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said its cash aid for displaced Palestinians from Syria (PRS) in Lebanon will not be transferred on time due to the recent economic turmoil inflicted by the coronavirus outbreaks.

In text messages sent to the refugees, the Agency said that in line with the current situation and the closure of banks, monthly cash assistance will be delayed for one week.

UNRWA has identified PRS in Lebanon as one of the most marginalized and poorest communities in the region.

In its 2020 Syria crisis emergency appeal, UNRWA said that PRS in Lebanon continue to face high vulnerability and marginalization, making them heavily reliant on UNRWA humanitarian support to cover their basic needs. The socio-economic hardships and unrest experienced by the country have compounded PRS’ already dire living conditions.

According to a survey conducted by the American University of Beirut in 2015, nearly 90 percent of the PRS population in Lebanon live in poverty, including 9 per cent who are in extreme poverty and unable to meet even their most essential food requirements.

PRS’s vulnerability is further compounded by their precarious legal status. The lack of a valid legal status, often coupled with outdated civil registration documents, results in severely restricted freedom of movement for some PRS in Lebanon due to fear of arrest, detention or forced deportation.