How to Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine in 2026/2027: Palestine has a very high number of people with formal refugee status. It might be surprising to learn that the refugees in Palestine are actually all Palestinians.
In 1948, the formation of Israel on Palestinian land resulted in what is called the ‘Nakba’, or ‘catastrophe’. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their historical homes. Some went to neighbouring Jordan or further afield, and some went to different parts of what is now called the West Bank.
According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, nearly one-third of the registered Palestinian refugees (more than 1.5 million individuals) live in 58 recognized Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Palestinian refugee camps started as temporary tented communities, waiting for the war to be over so they could return home. Over 70 years later, they are still waiting to go back to the land they were pushed from.
While Palestinians’ resilience keeps their hope alive, many things can be done to help make day-to-day life in the camps easier. Volunteering, for example, can make a significant impact on refugee communities. International volunteers contribute a lot—from education and English instruction to assisting in community development projects to advocacy for the communities they are working in.
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Where to Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine in 2026/2027?
There are 19 official Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, housing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians and their descendants. Today, these camps are densely populated areas where generations of refugees live under challenging conditions, often facing poverty, overcrowding, and limited access to resources and opportunities.
Near Hebron, the refugee camps include Al-Fawwar, Arroub, and Al-Hussein. These camps face unique challenges, including overcrowding, limited infrastructure, and frequent military incursions due to their proximity to Israeli settlements and military installations. For instance, Al-Fawwar Camp, located just southwest of Hebron, is known for its dense population and the severe restrictions placed on residents’ movement, which hinder access to jobs, education, and healthcare.
Types of Volunteer Opportunities
There are many different ways that international volunteers can help support Palestinian refugees in camps around Hebron:
Educational Support
Volunteers can help teach English or support the development of other skills for children and adults alike. Some volunteers have assisted people with their CVs, conducted specialised training sessions, and delivered presentations in their areas of expertise. These initiatives can help provide an excellent education and better employment opportunities for people within the camps.
Community Projects
Some volunteers organise community projects in the camps, such as health campaigns, clean-up initiatives, and recreational activities for children. Such projects are valuable in helping build community care and cohesion.
Advocacy
Based on their experience at the camps, many volunteers choose to undertake some form of advocacy to raise awareness of the situation of refugees. This includes sharing their experiences at the camps and the stories of people they meet on their own platforms or through media back in their home countries.
We invite anyone with skills and experience to share, or even those with an interest in learning more about refugees, to apply to one of our programs and help volunteer in Palestine.
How to Apply for a Volunteer Program
Because there are many volunteer organisations, selecting the right one is an important decision. It’s essential to choose a program that aligns with your skills, expertise, interests, and the community’s needs. So, how do you pick a good organisation?
Our advice is to look for programs that are created by, or at least primarily run by, people local to where you will be staying. Many international people can have great intentions by setting up programs they think a community might need. Instead, look for programs where the community itself has identified a need.
Another piece of advice is to not only check the organisation’s website, but also whether they have an online presence elsewhere to verify the experiences of other volunteers. Engage in Palestine is registered with Go Overseas, a well-known organisation that helps people from around the world to find meaningful and fulfilling volunteer positions. We currently have a 4.85 (out of 5) rating from over 900 reviews and have received over 20 community awards since 2019, including for 2024.
Once you’ve decided on the organisation you want to volunteer with and the program you’re interested in doing, the next step is to apply. The application process should be straightforward, and the organisation should be responsive to your request. At Engage in Palestine, we ask that people email Info@ecpalestine.org to enquire about their program of choice, when they would like to arrive, and how long they would like to stay.
List of Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine Programs
1. Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees
Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees: This program caters to undergraduate and graduate students, professionals, employees of human rights organizations, retirees, and anyone interested in engaging with the work concerning Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Palestine. Getting involved in refugee assistance presents an excellent opportunity for university students and recent graduates seeking to gain experience in the human rights field.
Through this project in the West Bank, volunteers will have the opportunity to work with Palestinian children, women, and youths to enhance each other’s skills, create mutual understanding, engage in language exchange, and make a difference in each other’s lives.
The Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees in the West Bank program is open to individuals between the ages of 18 and 70. People from all countries and majors are welcome to join this program. There are no specific degree requirements. All that is required is a willingness to participate and help.
2. The Palestinian Women’s Rights Program
The Palestinian Women’s Rights Program in the West Bank is a volunteer initiative that allows international visitors to visit Palestine and gain exclusive insight into women’s rights in the West Bank. Located in the vibrant city of Hebron, the project provides participants with many opportunities to meet Palestinian women, visit women’s rights organizations, and engage in educational and cultural activities.
Aimed at educating international participants about the current power dynamics of women in Palestinian society, you will get involved with volunteering with Palestinian women by promoting their rights and empowering them in all spheres of life, including the family, the workplace, and politics, all whilst ensuring they are safe from violence, exploitation, and discrimination.
Altogether, this volunteer program will enable you to gain awareness about gender equality in Hebron (one of the most conservative cities in Palestine) whilst also allowing you to study and practice Arabic, meet other internationals, and experience Palestinian daily life.
3. Palestinian Law and Legal Systems Internship
Palestinian Law and Legal Systems Internship: This legal internship program is ideal for students of law, the social sciences, and human rights, as well as for anyone interested in the Palestinian legal system as it operates in the West Bank. As an intern, you can enroll for a period of from 1 to 13 weeks, year-round (spring, summer, fall, and winter). The Palestinian Law program aims to provide a full understanding of legislation applying to the West Bank and Gaza.
During the legal internship program, you will visit local Palestinian lawyers, law faculties, courts, human rights organizations, legal and religious institutions, as well as legal clinics in the city of Hebron, Palestine. You will witness the enactment of laws, the decision-making process, court rulings, legal negotiations, and mediations in various social settings.
4. Human Rights Internship in Palestine
Human Rights in Palestine Internship Program: Engage in Palestine in Hebron offers human rights volunteer opportunities that highlight Palestinian rights and promote personal and professional growth. Students gain experience in international law, diplomacy, and humanitarian aid while enhancing their intercultural and Arabic language skills. Participants will raise awareness about human rights in the West Bank and support local communities through education.
Engage in Palestine offers human rights internships and volunteer programs year-round for 1 to 13 weeks, with flexible start and end dates. Participants can learn Ammiya (Palestinian Arabic) and receive three hours of Arabic instruction weekly from qualified teachers. You’ll engage with Palestinian and international NGOs, professors, students, and human rights activists and participate in excursions to refugee camps and organizations, enhancing your academic work and Arabic skills.
5. Volunteer in Local Palestinian Villages
Volunteer in Local Palestinian Villages: This program offers an excellent opportunity for individuals of all ages, from students to retirees, to work directly with Palestinian communities in villages and rural areas of the West Bank, including Dura and the Hebron Hills, such as Masafer Yatta, Susya, Umm Al-Khayr, the Al-Fawwar refugee camp, and Bani Na’im. Volunteers will collaborate with Palestinian children, youth, women, and refugees to enhance their skills and participate in educational and recreational activities.
Volunteers will also learn Arabic to communicate with the locals and visit sites of Palestinian cultural and historical significance in and around Hebron city. This program is an excellent opportunity to deepen their understanding of daily life in Palestinian communities, security challenges, and resilience under occupation.
Visa and Travel Requirements for 2026
Currently, to travel to Palestine, you need to secure a visa from Israel. Tourist visas are issued on arrival at the border and can last for up to 90 days. As of January 1st, 2026, you need to fill out an Electronic Travel Authorization before departure.
There are two key crossings into the West Bank: a land crossing through Jordan at the King Hussein Bridge, or arriving at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport just outside of Tel Aviv. Travel through Jordan is currently highly recommended, as many people have recently faced difficulty entering Israel through Ben Gurion Airport. The way is a bit longer and more complicated, but there is generally a better chance you will be granted entry. Please read our article on traveling from Jordan to Palestine for more information.
The first thing to know is that preparing to cross the border will almost always sound worse than it actually is. Since 2011, over 1,000 volunteers have come to Engage in Palestine without any problems. However, entering Palestine can be more difficult at times than others, depending on the changing security situation.
There is a chance that you will be pulled aside for questioning when you try to cross the border. The questions will usually be about your intentions in Israel (tourism, visiting friends and family, etc) and why you have decided to travel now. We recommend that you say you are traveling for tourism and prepare some answers, such as where you intend to stay and what you plan to do and see during your trip. It is highly recommended that you do not mention Palestine, the West Bank, or any West Bank cities, or volunteering and learning Arabic.
Living and Working Conditions as a Volunteer
Accommodation
Engage in Palestine has a variety of accommodation options to suit different needs. Most commonly, volunteers will reside in one of our shared flats near the center. There is one for men and one for women. The apartments are modern, spacious, and equipped with everything you need for daily living. Rooms may be shared depending on the number of volunteers, but you can request a private room if you prefer. Another option (for female volunteers) is to be placed with a Palestinian host family. This immersion is a great way to experience the local culture and language.
For our volunteering in a Palestinian refugee camp program, volunteers will be based in Hebron and commute to the camp to work with the community two or three days per week.
Daily Life
At Engage in Palestine, our volunteers’ days usually start at 10 am with a communal breakfast in our kitchen. We have everything you’ll usually find on the breakfast table in a Palestinian home—bread, hummus, avocado, tomato, eggs, za’atar, and olive oil, served with tea or coffee. This breakfast is an essential start to the day, allowing staff and volunteers to mingle, speak about their days, and get to know each other better.
After breakfast, Arabic classes usually begin with our excellent teachers. The length and frequency of your Arabic classes will depend on whether you are in an intensive course or studying Arabic as part of another program.
In the afternoon, program-specific activities occur. At the end of the day, volunteers usually like to go out for dinner at one of the many restaurants on bustling Ein Sara Street, sit at a cafe and study together, or return home and cook for themselves.
Weekends and Getting Around
Weekends in Palestine are Friday and Saturday, while the working week starts on Sunday. On Fridays, most shops and cafes close, and many people like to stay home and spend time with their families. Saturdays tend to be more lively, with people out and about, shopping and dining with friends.
While there are trains and light rail options in Israel, Palestine’s public transport consists of shared taxis called Services (pronounced Servees). These are usually quite affordable and easy to catch. Many volunteers like to travel on weekends, using local transport to cities such as Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tel Aviv, and Nablus. Just make sure you agree on a price with the driver before you start the journey!
Ethical Volunteering and Cultural Sensitivity
Volunteering done without ethics in mind can be detrimental to the community. That is why it’s essential to remember how to volunteer responsibly when you’re in a community and a setting very different from your home.
One of the most significant considerations for responsible volunteering is respecting the community’s culture and traditions. While there is a mix of religions in Palestine, it is primarily an Islamic society. If you have lived in a Muslim-majority country before, Hebron will feel really familiar. If you haven’t, some things can be a bit different from what you’re used to.
The first thing is the local culture regarding gender. Men and women do not usually shake hands or otherwise show physical affection in public. Some things, like gyms, are separated, often having different opening hours for men and women. Some gyms are just for women, and some are just for men.
Another consideration is clothing. Hebron is quite a conservative city. For men, this usually means no shorts. For women, it is best to wear long, loose clothing that reaches the wrists and ankles, and to ensure the chest is covered. Women in Hebron tend to be very stylish, so conservative definitely doesn’t have to mean boring!
Finally, it’s important to remember that even though you’re coming to help the community, the community isn’t helpless. Palestinians are strong, resilient, and hopeful about their future. They have found ways to thrive even under occupation. By volunteering at Engage in Palestine, you’ll be working alongside Palestinians and learning as much from them as they learn from you!
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Summary
Palestinian refugee camps exist on the knife-edge of the Israeli occupation, their movement and opportunities restricted, always waiting for the next bout of violence to erupt. At the same time, these people never allow the grim reality of their situation to dampen their spirit or dull their kindness.
Any support that can improve day-to-day life in the West Bank’s refugee camps is incredibly welcome. That’s why Engage in Palestine offers international volunteers the opportunity to spend time with these communities, contributing their skills and expertise while also showing solidarity with their cause.
If you’re interested in spending time in the West Bank and volunteering in refugee camps around Hebron, please reach out to Info@ecpalestine.org.
Find Us Online
WhatsApp: +972 599 479 880
Email: info@ecpalestine.org
Website: https://volunteerinpalestine.org/
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Tags: Palestine refugee volunteer opportunities, Refugee support programs Palestine, Volunteer abroad with refugees, Volunteer with refugees in Palestine
