RAMALLAH, West Bank — In a meeting held Nov. 12, the Syrian government tasked the Damascus provincial council with rehabilitating the infrastructure of the Yarmouk refugee camp in southern Damascus and restoring services to prepare for the return of the displaced.

The statement comes in the wake of an official Syrian decision allowing refugees to return to the Yarmouk camp. Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad informed the Palestinian factions in Syria of the move on Nov. 6.

Although the Syrian authorities have yet to specify any details for the return process, the decision gave hope to the Palestinian refugees who were displaced from the camp over the past years. Rubble-clearing operations have been ongoing in the camp since Sept. 15 after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pledged to cover their cost.

The committee overseeing the rubble clearing was formed with the approval of the Syrian government and under the supervision of the General Administration for Palestine Arab Refugees in Syria in coordination with Palestinian factions. It said in a Nov. 9 press release that it is still working to remove the remaining rubble from the lanes and alleys of the camp and that the rehabilitation process will accelerate in the coming days.