Attachments
Highlights
- Approximately 1,094 people, including 121 children, have been killed in the conflict in Lebanon, with over 1 million displaced, including more than 350,000 children, overwhelming shelters, disrupting education, and creating severe protection risks.
- UNICEF is scaling up its emergency response, providing life-saving services to displaced children and families across shelters, host communities, and conflict-affected areas.
- So far, UNICEF has already reached 167,200 people with rapid-response essential supplies; 140,271 children with formal education or education in emergencies opportunities, including early learning; and 101,369 displaced people with water supply and wastewater services through system support interventions.
- UNICEF requires US$ 48.3 million for its three-month response to reach 1 million people in need but faces an 82 per cent funding gap, with only US$ 8.7 million available. Without urgent additional funding, contingency stocks will be depleted, and life-saving services for children and families will be disrupted.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
Hostilities in Lebanon continue to have a devastating impact on civilians. As of 25 March, at least 1,094 people have been killed, including 121 children, and 3,119 injured, including 395 children, according to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).
Mass displacement is ongoing and increasing amid escalating hostilities, repeated displacement orders, and the expansion of affected areas. As of 16 March, an estimated 1,049,328 people are displaced, including over 350,000 children. Of these, 134,601 people are sheltering in 660 official collective shelters.1 However, the majority of displaced families are estimated to be residing outside formal shelters, consistent with previous escalations where only up to 20 per cent of displaced populations used collective sites. Since the start of the escalation, displacement orders have covered approximately 1,470 km², or 14 per cent of Lebanon’s territory, affecting large parts of southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs, and areas of the Bekaa.
Between 22 and 23 March, airstrikes disabled key crossings north and south of the Litani River, severely disrupting civilian movement and humanitarian access. The destruction of major routes, including the Qasmieh crossings and Qaaqaiyet el Jisr bridge, alongside damage to the Delaffi bridge, has cut connectivity across southern Lebanon and parts of the Bekaa. As a result, over 150,000 people, including 4,688 IDPs in collective shelters, are effectively isolated, with constrained access to essential services, limited humanitarian reach, and reduced evacuation and supply routes.
Damage to critical infrastructure is increasing. Airstrikes have impacted water pipelines in Marjaayoun and a power station in Sultaniye (Bint Jbeil district), heightening risks of water shortages, electricity disruptions, and associated public health concerns. Hostilities remain widespread across Beirut’s southern suburbs, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa, with continued artillery fire and reported ground incursions along the Blue Line, including in Khiam, Naqoura, Taybeh, and Markaba.
Attacks on healthcare remain a major concern. Since 2 March, 42 healthcare workers have been killed and 119 injured, alongside 70 reported attacks on emergency medical services. In addition, 44 vehicles, 18 health facilities, and 5 hospitals and 51 PHCCs have been impacted or forced to close, significantly disrupting access to primary and secondary healthcare, particularly in high-risk and isolated areas.
Clusters of communicable conditions started appearing in shelters mainly scabies, lice and varicella.
Education has been severely disrupted as a result of the escalation and rising displacement; of the 660 shelters, 361 are general education public schools and 55 are Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) public schools. The conversion of general education public schools to shelters has directly affected 115,000 children, 76,000 students in the morning shift and nearly 39,000 in the afternoon shift. The conversion of 55 TVET schools to shelters disrupted access for 15,000 youth, while 46 school closures in South Lebanon and Bekaa affected 16,850 youth. After three weeks of closures, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) has begun gradual school reopenings with blended in-person and online learning. As of 25 March, around 300 schools have reopened in safe locations, mainly North and Akkar, including 50 hub schools hosting students from other closed schools; further reopenings in Mount Lebanon and Bekaa are expected.
Displacement is driving heightened protection risks, particularly for women and girls, who face increased exposure to gender-based violence (GBV), exploitation, and trafficking, as well as for children, older persons, and persons with disabilities. Family and community support systems have been disrupted, while access to safe shelter and reliable information remains limited. With hosting capacities overstretched, some families are sheltering in vehicles or open spaces. Overcrowding, lack of privacy, and elevated stress levels are exacerbating protection risks and increasing exposure to public health hazards, including disease outbreaks and fire risks. Children are showing increasing signs of psychological distress due to prolonged exposure to violence, instability, and disrupted routines. Non-Lebanese populations continue to face barriers accessing formal shelters and rely primarily on community-based support and humanitarian assistance.