Please refer to the attached file.
Executive Summary
The IDP Return Perceptions and Intentions Survey (October 2025) presents a comprehensive analysis of the perspectives, priorities, and protection risks facing internally displaced Palestine refugee households in Syria in the aftermath of the 2025 political transition and the accelerated return movements that followed. The assessment, conducted by UNRWA with a statistically representative sample of 513 households (approximately 1,500 individuals), provides critical insights into the feasibility of safe, dignified, and sustainable return to the devastated camps of Ein el Tal, Yarmouk, and Dera’a, which collectively hosted one‑third of Palestine refugees prior to the conflict.
Findings show that displacement remains deeply protracted, with 51% of surveyed households expressing an intention to return to their areas of origin within the next 12 months, while 25% plan to stay in their current locations and 24% remain undecided. Return intentions are shaped primarily by economic pressures, including unaffordable rent and precarious legal and socio‑economic conditions in displacement, alongside pull factors such as family reunification. However, intentions often do not translate into action, with many households reporting limited or no preparatory steps toward return.
The survey highlights severe structural barriers that continue to impede large‑scale returns. Housing destruction is overwhelming—95% of respondents reported their homes were damaged or destroyed, and 85% cited inadequate housing as the primary barrier to return. Limited access to essential utilities (49%), the absence of basic services (15%), and insufficient livelihood opportunities (38%) further undermine prospects for sustainable return. Safety and security concerns, including instability and explosive remnants of war, were reported by 17% of households. Only 18% of households had conducted recent “go‑and‑see” visits, with the majority (64%) reporting conditions were worse than expected.
Support needs are substantial and multidimensional. Among households intending to return, the most critical needs include shelter rehabilitation (364 households), livelihood support (278), and restoration of essential utilities (239). Many households also require transportation assistance, access to basic services, and legal documentation support, particularly in relation to housing, land, and property rights. Coping strategies reveal worrying trends: 36.7% expect to delay return until assistance becomes available, while others anticipate borrowing money, reducing essential expenditures, or adopting harmful coping mechanisms.
For households intending to remain in displacement, vulnerabilities are similarly pronounced. 81% rely on humanitarian aid, and 55% report difficulty meeting monthly living costs. Overcrowding, substandard shelter conditions, inconsistent electricity access, and significant barriers to health care, especially for households including persons with disabilities, underscore the continued need for protection‑focused assistance and early recovery support. Female‑headed households and persons with disabilities face disproportionate challenges.
Overall, the findings underscore that while many Palestine refugee households express a desire or intention to return, returns cannot be considered sustainable without substantial investments in shelter rehabilitation, essential services, livelihoods, and risk‑informed protection interventions. The survey provides vital evidence to guide principled, coordinated humanitarian and early recovery programming as Syria enters a new phase of displacement and return dynamics.