Latest updates on country situation
04 December 2024
Following the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel on 27 November 2024, an estimated 580,000 displaced people started returning to their homes in southern Lebanon, southern Beirut suburbs, and the Bekaa Valley. The Government reported that 90% of IDPs who were in collective shelters had returned. They have limited access to services and need food, water, education, and assistance with the repair of damaged hospitals and infrastructure. (OCHA 02/12/2024, IOM 30/11/2024)
06 November 2024
The escalating clashes between Hezbollah and Israel have been straining maternal healthcare services, affecting more than 11,000 pregnant displaced women (with nearly 12% expected to give birth in the coming month) by 30 October 2024. Many lack access to healthcare given the destruction of nearly a quarter of Lebanon’s infrastructure and the killing of 110 healthcare workers by Israeli air strikes since 8 October 2023. Displaced women face many health risks, compounded by trauma and anxiety. For many, prolonged displacement has also depleted savings. The resulting inability to afford essential services further endangers maternal and infant health. These women urgently need safe delivery options, access to midwives, prenatal assessments, and postnatal care. (UNFPA 30/10/2024, OCHA 04/11/2024, UN 31/10/2024)
29 October 2024
By 27 October 2024, escalating clashes between Hezbollah and Israel had displaced over 834,700 people, primarily to Mount Lebanon and Beirut governorates. People with disabilities, who comprise 13% of the population, are among the most affected, as they have to stay in shelters with inadequate infrastructure to accommodate their mobility needs. They urgently require medical equipment for movement support and healthcare services. (IOM 28/10/2024, HI 03/10/2024, Al Qalah News 29/10/2024)
16 October 2024
By 11 October 2024, Israeli air strikes had displaced most of the Palestinian refugees residing in the camps in Sour district (Al Buss, Burj Al Shemali, and Rashidieh camps) to safer areas in Beirut and northern Lebanon. Most of them are staying in 11 UNRWA shelters, mainly in Beirut, North, and Saida governorates. Their needs include shelter, food, and medical assistance. The situation is aggravating Lebanon's already strained capacity to support affected populations during the current conflict. (UNRWA 11/10/2024, TNA 11/10/2024)
09 October 2024
Migrant workers who have been displaced after the Israeli airstrikes are facing challenges in accessing services because of the kafala system, in addition to facing displacement. Under the kafala system, sponsors, which can be individuals or organisations, control migrant workers' legal residency and free movement and hold their legal documents. Because of the displacement, many migrant workers have been separated from their sponsors and left without their legal documents. They are mostly staying in open areas, sleeping on the streets or beaches of Beirut city. They cannot access government shelters because of the documentation issue and because Lebanese nationals are prioritised over foreigners. They lack access to WASH, food, shelter, and healthcare, in addition to assistance to return to their countries. There were over 176,000 migrant workers in Lebanon at the end of August 2024. Many of them are from Ethiopia and Bangladesh and are receiving limited support from their embassies.
(OCHA 01/10/2024, The New Arab 02/10/2024, AJ 05/10/2024)
25 September 2024
On 23 September, the Israeli army escalated its military attacks with raids targeting many towns and cities in southern Lebanon (South and Nabatieh governorates) and eastern Lebanon (Beqaa governorate). At least 558 people were killed (including women, children, paramedics, and two UN staff), and nearly 1,840 were injured. The attacks triggered a wave of displacement from the targeted governorates to Beirut and other areas in northern Lebanon. The Government estimates that the total number of IDPs has reached 500,000 following the Israeli raids on 23 September, including 111,600 people displaced between 8 October 2023 and 17 September 2024. Hundreds of Lebanese and Syrian refugees have also fled to Syria. IDPs are being received in collective shelters, public buildings such as schools, churches, and mosques, and host families. They likely need food, water, NFIs, shelter, and healthcare services.
(MSF 24/09/2024, Sky News 24/09/2024, IOM accessed 25/09/2024).
14 August 2024
Conflict escalation since July 2024 between Hezbollah and Israel has been worsening the humanitarian situation in southern Lebanon. In July, the conflict increased civilian casualties by 20%, bringing the total number of civilian deaths to 120 since 8 October 2023. Between 23 July and 6 August 2024, displacement also increased by nearly 4% compared to a 0.7% rise in the previous two weeks (from 9–23 July), bringing the total number of people displaced since 8 October 2023 to 102,500. Attacks on civilian infrastructure further restrict access to essential public services, particularly clean water. The violence has damaged about 14 water stations, including four that have become completely non-functional, affecting access to clean water for more than 200,000 people. The conflict also continues to disrupt education for more than 20,000 children, with 72 schools either damaged or repurposed as shelters for displaced people. (OCHA 12/08/2024, IOM accessed 14/08/2024, OCHA 08/08/2024)
current crises
in
Lebanon
These crises have been identified through the INFORM Severity Index, a tool for measuring and comparing the severity of humanitarian crises globally.
LBN006 - Complex crisis
Last updated 19/11/2024
Drivers
Socio-political
Violence
Tecnological Disaster
Displacement
Crisis level
Country
Severity level
4 High
Access constraints
4.0
LBN002 - Syrian refugees
Last updated 19/11/2024
Drivers
Displacement
Crisis level
Country
Severity level
3.4 High
Access constraints
4.0
REG004 - Syrian Regional Crisis
Last updated 30/06/2024
Drivers
Crisis level
Regional
Severity level
4 High
Access constraints
4.0
Analysis products
on
Lebanon
01 October 2024
Lebanon: escalation of hostilities - key humanitarian developments
DOCUMENT / PDF / 691 KB
Hostilities and clashes between Hezbollah and Israel have been escalating since 8 October 2023, mainly affecting areas in southern Lebanon. On 23 September 2024, the Israeli army increased their military attacks, with over 330 raids.
09 July 2024
Lebanon: humanitarian impact of escalating Hezbollah-Israel hostilities
DOCUMENT / PDF / 479 KB
This report provides an overview of the impact of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict on southern Lebanon. It highlights the affected population’s increasing need – including that of newly displaced individuals – and looks at access constraints resulting from the increase in hostilities.
19 October 2023
Lebanon: the effect of the socioeconomic crisis on healthcare
DOCUMENT / PDF / 364 KB
The report mainly focuses on the impact of the socioeconomic crisis on the availability of medication, people’s access to healthcare services, and the status of the health infrastructure in Lebanon. It also compares the country’s healthcare performance before 2019 with the present.
22 December 2022
Ripple effects of the conflict in Ukraine: truths and myths
DOCUMENT / PDF / 4 MB
This report provides a commentary on relevant datasets as it examines trends related to the economic effects of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine on selected countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
31 May 2022
Lebanon: Impact of crisis on children
DOCUMENT / PDF / 403 KB
This report aims to increase awareness of the scale and severity of the economic crisis in Lebanon over the past three years. It describes how the crisis disproportionately affects children and is likely to have shortand long-term consequences on their future.