Following nearly two weeks of escalating hostilities in Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes have, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, killed more than 1,000 people, including women and children, as well as health and aid workers. More than 6,000 people have been injured, many of whom will suffer life-altering injuries. Lebanese authorities estimate that the number of displaced people now surpasses one million, with tens of thousands staying in overcrowded collective shelters, schools, or in informal sites. A ground invasion will only compound the deteriorating humanitarian situation across the country, creating further waves of displacement to areas already struggling to cope, and putting at grave risk the lives of civilians who are unable to leave conflict-affected areas. 

A new assessment conducted by the IRC in response to the recent mass displacement has revealed critical vulnerabilities. The Rapid Needs Assessment surveyed more than 200 relocated families, representing over 1,200 individuals, of which almost half were children. The assessment revealed that northern Lebanon and Akkar have become primary destinations for those displaced, raising significant concerns about the capacity of these areas to absorb a high volume of new arrivals  and the ability of those newly displaced to access shelter, health care, and other vital services. In particular, overcrowding in informal and temporary shelters is creating significant health and protection risks.

Nearly 90% of surveyed families reported struggling to secure basic necessities, such as access to food (82%), cash support (70%), shelter materials, hygiene supplies, and clean drinking water. The needs are especially severe among those living in tents, with food assistance identified as a critical priority by almost all respondents. 

Juan Gabriel Wells, the IRC Country Director in Lebanon, says:

“Our teams continue to assess the situation and needs in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, and the North, adapting our emergency response to meet the most urgent needs. We are witnessing alarming gaps in health care, with critical shortages of medication and limited access to services affecting the elderly, children and those with chronic conditions. One of the people we are now supporting, who had to flee his home in the south and is now staying in an overcrowded collective shelter in Beirut, told us how his family weren’t able to bring anything with them as they rushed to get out of harm’s way. He told us that his daughter and her newborn baby also had to flee immediately, without receiving any medical care after delivery. To help respond to those urgent needs, we are supporting the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, by providing health care services, including mental health support, prioritizing vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, and civilians living in overcrowded informal shelters.

“Syrian refugees are also facing a dire situation. Many are now forced to live in makeshift shelters, tents, cars, or even garages, facing not only poor living conditions but also barriers to accessing basic services. These families, often with young children, are struggling to access even the most basic services like health care and clean water. 

“The situation will further deteriorate unless immediate action is taken. Families are already battling extreme financial hardships, constant insecurity, and the lack of basic supplies like food and medications. Without an immediate cessation of hostilities, the number in need of assistance will only continue to rise.”

To prevent further loss of life, suffering and displacement, the IRC calls for all parties in the region to heed calls for an immediate ceasefire. Attacks against civilians violate humanitarian law. The indiscriminate missile attacks on Israel today are another example of how the escalating regional conflict is putting civilians at grave risk. Protection of civilians and humanitarian staff must remain a priority, and all actors must observe international humanitarian law.

The IRC has mobilized a medical team in close coordination with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and our partner, the primary health care centers (PHCC) in the North. The team consists of nurses, general physicians, social workers, and community health workers assessing the pressing health needs of displaced people residing near health care centers. We are also providing free medical consultations, medications and mental health and psychosocial support to those displaced. Since September 27, the IRC has deployed mobile teams to address the needs of displaced Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian communities, focusing on unaccompanied children, vulnerable individuals, and those in need of emergency assistance.