Lebanon is facing the largest escalation of conflict since the 2006 Lebanon War. The number of people killed has risen to 2,083 and 9,869 people have been wounded as of 7 October according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Displacement triggered by intense Israeli strikes and civilian evacuation orders now surpasses that of the 2006 war. National authorities continue to estimate that more than one million people have been displaced by the intense military escalation, mainly from southern Lebanon and Beirut’s densely populated southern suburbs. The IOM Displacement Tracking matrix (round 51) published on 8 October reports an increase in displacement from 350,000 on 29 September to 608,500 on 7 October.
Many people have been displaced multiple times since October 2023 and the majority of them require urgent assistance, having fled their homes rapidly without the basic items they need for daily life. The communities and centres hosting them also require support. Refugees are facing even more difficult circumstances now due to a lack of access to shelter and essential services. Displacement from Lebanon to Syria has also been reported, with some 220,000 people estimated to have crossed the border since 24 September.
The ongoing violence and rapidly deteriorating security situation are putting hundreds of thousands of people’s lives at risk. This catastrophic escalation in hostilities comes against a backdrop of a multi-layered and complex governance, economic and financial crisis in Lebanon, which has been marked by a steady deterioration of social stability and systems, internal and external shocks, such as COVID-19 and the Beirut Port explosion in 2020.
Lebanon is estimated by its government to be hosting 1.5 million displaced Syrians (who fled the crisis in Syria); 23,026 Palestine Refugees from Syria; 180,000 Palestine Refugees in Lebanon; and over 11,200 refugees of other nationalities, making it the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometre in the world, according to UNHCR.
In support of the Government-led emergency response, the humanitarian community launched a Flash Appeal on 1 October to enable partners to rapidly deliver principled and effective humanitarian assistance for three months (October to December 2024). The appeal calls for $425.7 million to deliver life-saving assistance and protection to one million Lebanese, Syrians, Palestine Refugees in Lebanon, Palestine Refugees from Syria, and migrants.
This Flash Appeal is fully complementary to and supportive of the Lebanon Response Plan (LRP) 2024, which remains the primary planning framework in the country supporting an integrated humanitarian and stabilization response, co-led with the Government. Under the LRP, partners appealed for $2.72 billion to address the impact of the pre-existing crises in Lebanon in 2024, with just 25 per cent funding received as of mid-year.
Pooled Funds in Lebanon
The CERF and the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund have enabled a swift scale-up of the humanitarian response in Lebanon.
On 27 September, the Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), Joyce Msuya, approved a CERF Rapid Response (RR) allocation of $10 million to address urgent humanitarian needs following the heightened conflict between Israel and Hezbollah on 23 September (on top of the $10 million allocated to Lebanon in CERF’s Underfunded allocation earlier in March 2024). This allocation will enable immediate action in key sectors such as health, food security, and shelter.
The Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) is also launching a $10 million allocation to address emerging needs through a flexible and localized approach. This response will leverage pre-identified partners and focus on the provision of life-saving essentials, emergency shelter, healthcare and food to support both displaced populations and host communities.
New contributions to the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund are urgently needed to sustain further emergency allocations in view of the evolving situation in Lebanon. The Lebanon Fund is well-placed to scale up allocations on a rolling basis in line with new contributions, while ensuring proper oversight and risk management practices.
For more information on the LHF: Lebanon Humanitarian Fund at a glance, September 2024 [EN/AR] | OCHA (unocha.org)