Attachments
OPERATIONAL STRATEGY REVISION
On 18 October 2023, IFRC launched the Middle East Crisis Emergency Appeal to support the coordination and scale-up of response to the crisis, in addition to the readiness activities in neighbouring countries. All activities were designed to ensure synergy and complementarity with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Operation and Appeal, aligning closely with the needs on the ground.
Due to ongoing escalation and the worsening humanitarian crisis, the Federation-wide Emergency Appeal has been revised, increasing the total funding ask from the initial CHF 100 million to CHF 200 million. This adjustment aims to more effectively address the growing needs, to respond to population movements caused by hostilities and to maintain flexibility in order to be able to adapt to the evolving context and prepare for future developments and recovery actions.
The revised Emergency Appeal will continue to support response interventions alongside the preparedness and readiness actions of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS), Lebanese Red Cross (LRC), Jordan National Red Crescent Society (JNRCS) and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). This includes enhancing logistics services, pre- positioning and readiness efforts, establishing Jordan as an additional logistics hub alongside Egypt to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. Notably, these logistical pipelines are expected to play a critical role not only during the current emergency phase but also in future recovery and rehabilitation efforts in Gaza, depending on how the situation evolves and in coordination with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS).
The appeal also supports individuals medically evacuated from the Gaza Strip, as well as those accompanying them, along with host communities and displaced populations affected by the conflict spillover in neighbouring countries. Sub-regional preparedness efforts are being reinforced in collaboration with the Operating National Societies to enhance readiness for changing needs.
Furthermore, the massive escalation of violence in Lebanon, which began in mid-September 2024, continues to exacerbate the already fragile situation in the region, heavily impacting neighbouring countries, particularly Syria. Lebanon is currently enduring one of the most devastating periods in its history, with hostilities severely affecting the country, particularly in the South, the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Bekaa region. As the situation escalates in Lebanon, the focus has shifted from preparedness to scaled-up response activities in both Lebanon and Syria, working in close partnership with the Operating National Societies. Together, these coordinated efforts aim to meet the immediate and anticipated needs of approximately 1,363,821 people across all the countries involved in the crisis.
In order to ensure effective technical support and coordination, this appeal will also contribute to boosting the IFRC Secretariat’s capacity at both the country and regional levels. This strengthening aims to support the timely and efficient scale-up of operations, ensuring that humanitarian efforts remain agile and responsive to the evolving crisis.
A year on, the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly, emphasizing the ongoing volatility and severe impacts on neighbouring countries, which have further exacerbated the already challenging conditions. The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon has created several critical needs across multiple sectors. The conflict has led to massive internal displacement, with overcrowded shelters and inadequate living conditions, as well as large-scale population movement across neighbouring countries, especially into Syria. As winter approaches, displaced families urgently require winterization support, including blankets, heating sources and warm clothing. Food insecurity has worsened due to disrupted food supplies and rising costs, while healthcare services are severely strained, with many facilities damaged amid increasing casualties and disease outbreaks like cholera. With hostilities still ongoing, the repercussions on affected populations continue to grow, compounding the already dire humanitarian situation.
Given this instability, the revised Operational Strategy remains centred on preparedness, emergency response and immediate relief efforts, rather than transitioning to longer-term recovery activities until the conditions are conducive. The priority, therefore, is to ensure that all involved actors maintain readiness and a robust response capacity to address urgent and evolving needs effectively.
Lebanon Complex Emergency Appeal – rationale and complementarity to the Middle East Crisis Appeal
A new https://prddsgofilestorage.blob.core.windows.net/api/event-featured-documents/file/MDRLB017EA.pdf was launched on 5 November 2024 to support the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) to address the immense humanitarian impact of the escalation in 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.
Further 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 ongoing scaled up crisis, while also addressing the longer- term consequences of the conflict through recovery efforts as the country faces one of its worst humanitarian crises in decades.