Lebanon

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)

31 July 2024

In mid-2024, the conflict in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hamas continued to severely disrupt education for children, with over 34,000 children displaced and 72 schools affected. There are efforts to provide online learning and open emergency hub schools, but challenges such as technical issues, unstable internet connection, financial constraints, child labour, and displacement continue to hinder access. (IRC et al. 25/07/2024)