Emergency Appeal: Lebanon Complex Emergency №: MDRLB017 [EN/AR]

Rationale for the Lebanon Complex Emergency Appeal and complementarity to the Middle East Crisis Appeal This Emergency Appeal is being launched in November 2024 to support the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) to address the immense humanitarian impact of the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon. Since October 2023, IFRC has been supporting LRC’s efforts to prepare for and respond to the spill-over effects of the escalation of hostilities in Gaza through its multi-country Emergency Appeal for the Middle East Complex Emergency, which addresses the regional implications of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The escalation of hostilities in September 2024 led to widespread destruction and mass displacement, exacerbating an already dire socio-economic situation in Lebanon, necessitating a new appeal to address the rapidly evolving humanitarian situation more effectively. The launch of a separate Emergency Appeal for Lebanon will ensure a robust Federation-wide response to the current crisis while also addressing the longer-term consequences of this conflict through recovery efforts as the country faces one of its worst humanitarian crises in decades. While this new Emergency Appeal has been launched for Lebanon, the Middle East Crisis Emergency Appeal will remain active until December 2025. From November 2024 onward, contributions to support the response efforts in Lebanon should be directed through this Lebanon Complex Emergency Appeal.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Lebanon’s southern border has been the scene of continued conflict since 8 October 2023, evoking memories of the 2006 conflict and its profound impact on the region. Following the explosion of thousands of pagers on 17 September 2024, the hostilities have escalated dramatically. Southern Lebanon, the Bekaa region and Beirut’s suburbs have seen a massive increase in airstrikes and attacks, leading to over 2,710 deaths and 12,592 injuries as of 28 October 2024. This recent escalation has led to widespread destruction and mass displacement of people, exacerbating an already dire socio-economic situation in the country.

Lebanese authorities estimate that over 1.1 million individuals have been displaced, including many Syrian and Palestinian refugees, with some households being displaced multiple times. Many people left their homes quickly, without their essential items. Livelihoods are also severely disrupted, particularly for farming communities.

Around half of all displaced people are currently living in host settings, often in overcrowded conditions. The Lebanese Government has also opened 1,118 new collective shelters in public schools and other buildings that currently host over 188,690 displaced individuals (43,586 families), based on the household registration efforts of the Lebanese Red Cross and the Lebanese Government. However, limited access to safe and adequate shelter for internally displaced people (IDPs), as well as registration for displaced refugees and migrants, remains a challenge, particularly as winter approaches, increasing the humanitarian needs for those in makeshift housing and overcrowded centres.

The large-scale displacement has heightened demand for essentials like bread, water and shelter, placing the market system under pressure, and with prices already significantly inflated in some areas. Moreover, the hostilities have not only inflicted heavy civilian casualties, but have also severely damaged civilian infrastructure, including water and sanitation facilities, cutting off access to clean water for tens of thousands of people. The lack of effective sanitation services, with most wastewater treatment plants non-operational due to power shortages, heightens the risk of disease outbreaks like cholera, which was already severely affecting Lebanon by late 2022.

Lebanon's healthcare sector, already strained by the economic crisis and COVID-19, faces critical shortages of medical staff and supplies, making it increasingly challenging to meet the needs of displaced people and those with chronic health conditions. Lebanese hospitals and health facilities are overwhelmed by the surge in casualties, and out of 207 primary health care centres and dispensaries in conflict-affected areas, 100 are already closed. Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) from the Lebanese Red Cross have been deployed to mitigate this, but the overall healthcare system remains severely overwhelmed.