The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) in London delivered an oral statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council as part of Agenda Item 4.

PRC said the mass exodus of Palestinian refugees to northern Syria has undermined their legal status and exposed them to serious risks affecting their most basic rights, including the right to healthcare, education, property ownership, and access to the labour market.

PRC representative warned that the situation has gone far worse due to UNRWA’s failure to live up to its humanitarian mission regarding tens of thousands of registered Palestinian refugees sheltered in northern Syria.

PRC called on the Human Rights Council to take the necessary measures to work out the legal status of Palestinian refugees in northern Syria and ensure their access to vital services.

It also urged UNRWA to provide humanitarian assistance and life-saving services to hundreds of displaced families in northern Syria, urging the international community to increase funding to the Agency to enable it to keep up its vital mission in its fields of operations.

PRC pointed up the importance of Syria’s territorial integrity as a key factor to promote security and stability for Palestinians and Syrians alike.