Emergency Appeal: Lebanon Under Attack

Emergency Assistance to IDPs and Host Families

Background: On Monday 23 September 2024, Israel launched a heavy barrage of airstrikes on Lebanon, marking the country’s deadliest day since the 2006 war. Lebanese residents fled their homes as Israeli bombs claimed the lives of over 600 people, including women and children, and left more than 1,835 wounded.[1] As the bombing has continued, there are reports of 1,247 killed and 5,278 wounded, including women, children and medics. The number of people killed on Monday alone, is roughly half the number of Lebanese killed throughout the entire 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.

As the violence has escalated, more residents have fled their homes in a desperate search for safety, accompanied by the noise of Israeli warplanes flying over different parts of the country. Families fleeing have described seeing buildings collapse and towns being emptied, while images and videos of news agencies show roads blocked by heavy traffic as people try to flee.  The earlier escalation in hostilities had already resulted in 113,054 internally displaced persons (IDPs) by 25 August 2024.  On 23 and 24 September the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon resulted in 104,130 newly displaced persons, including 43,600 who sought refuge in more than 347 designated shelters across the country.[2]

With widespread destruction in the South, and sporadic destruction in other regions of Lebanon, entire communities have been reduced to rubble. The ongoing hostilities have overwhelmed Lebanon’s fragile infrastructure, which was already under significant strain due to political instability, economic collapse, and the long-standing impact of the Syrian refugee crisis.

International humanitarian organizations, including UN Agencies and local NGOs, have already mobilized to provide initial support, but the scale of the crisis far exceeds the current capacity for response. In many areas, humanitarian access is limited due to ongoing hostilities, creating urgent gaps in aid delivery. As the conflict intensifies, there is an urgent need for a coordinated, large-scale humanitarian response to address the basic survival needs of the most vulnerable populations and lay the groundwork for recovery once there is a ceasefire. Without immediate intervention, Lebanon risks spiralling into a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe.

In response to the ongoing developments and the escalating conflict in Lebanon, the government of Lebanon and UNRWA announced the opening of several centres and schools as Designated Emergency Shelters (DESs) for displaced families across different locations in Lebanon.  Those most vulnerable have sought safety in these shelters.  The exact number of IDPs in these shelters is fluctuating as families try to find a place of safety. However rapid assessments have revealed that the majority of displaced families are seeking shelter with hosting families of relatives or friends and a few are in rented homes.

“We saw death” is a common phrase repeated by people fleeing for their lives towards the unknown in Lebanon

Emergency Needs: Following these rapid needs assessments with our local partners and checking where there are gaps in current emergency services provision – WA has found there are increasing needs for mattresses, which have become scarce, blankets, pillows, potable water, hygiene kits, food parcels, fuel for shelters, diapers, hygiene kits and mobile medical units.[3]

The displaced population, including a large number of women, children, and elderly individuals, face immense challenges in accessing shelter, food, clean water, and medical care. The widespread destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and essential services has deepened this humanitarian crisis, leaving many families extremely vulnerable. This appeal seeks to address the most urgent needs mapped through rapid assessments, and focusing on saving lives, reducing suffering, and maintaining human dignity amid yet another complex and challenging crisis the country is facing again.

YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The purpose of this emergency appeal is to support some of the most vulnerable families who have fled their homes and are now seeking safety in designated shelters or among hosting families across Lebanon (South, Beirut, and the North) through the provision of humanitarian relief, health care, mobility aid and rescue response.

*All photos provided by our WA teams and local partners in Lebanon

[1] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/9/24/israel-attacks-lebanon-live-global-calls-for-restraint-as-492-killed

[2] Disaster Management Unit, Second Situation Report, 25 September 2025

[3] Emergency Operations Room – DRR Unit at UoTM, Daily Report, 25 September 2024.