Since October 8th 2023, with the resumption of the conflict in Gaza and its spill over in Lebanon, Southern Lebanon has witnessed increased tension and cross borders hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) along the Blue Line that have not ceased to intensify over time. While the military operations are mostly affecting the southern areas closer to the Blue Line, the geographic scope of the attacks has expanded to reach North Bekaa Valley, Baalbek-Hermel Governorate and the capital Beirut.
The situation on the ground
The hostilities come at a time when the country remains stuck in a political and institutional vacuum and has been struggling with a severe socioeconomic crisis of over four years that has affected the population, as well as institutions and any type of basic essential services.
Up to this day, the military operations have resulted in more than 1,700 casualties and more than 500 fatalities across Lebanon, with widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including buildings and critical facilities like hospitals, water and power stations leading to interruption of essential services. The conflict has also caused considerable internal displacement, with over 102,000 people being forced from their homes over the past ten months, and has impacted negatively on their livelihood, mainly based on agricultural and farming activities. As attacks intensify and reach further into Lebanese territory, further and secondary displacement are taking place, and all this obviously further strains Lebanon's already fragile economy and social fabric.
The future evolution of the crisis is not predictable however, humanitarian needs in Lebanon are going to grow exponentially in case of further escalation and even without such a scenario, they will remain extremely high and critical throughout the rest of 2024 and beyond.
ICRC Response
Following the outbreak of armed conflict in southern Lebanon which started in October 2023, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) undertook and is still implementing steps to enhance the country’s emergency preparedness and response, focusing on enhancing access to essential services for the affected population, including water, electricity, basic medical services and economic security, in addition to promoting respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the protection of lives and dignities as well as providing emergency assistance to the civilian population affected by the conflict. Our commitment to safeguard and deliver protection and humanitarian assistance remains unwavering.
Urgent help needed in Lebanon
The ongoing escalations of armed conflict in the south of Lebanon have devastated children, families and communities. Families are struggling to find food, clean water, essential medical care.
Enhancing preparedness of health-care providers and improving access to health care
3 emergency medical services (EMS), 12 primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) and 8 hospitals, received donations of medications and consumables and undertook capacity building activities.
14 first aid training sessions conducted in 14 shelters, benefiting 142 internally displaced people, who received individual first aid kits.
794 health staff from 66 health structures were trained in Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPAR), Emergency Room Trauma Course (ERTC), Fundamentals of War Surgery (FWS), Mass Casualty Management (MCM), and Neonatal Resuscitation Course (NRC) trainings.
70 health staff from different hospitals, rehabilitation centers and health centers in Lebanon received trainings on: early rehabilitation for amputees, early rehabilitation of fractures during emergencies, fundaments of early rehabilitation in hospital settings and during emergencies and the role of physiotherapy in mass casualty incidents.
5 EMS providers, 2 hospitals and 2 primary health care centers received donations of mobility aids, prosthetics and orthotic materials and wheelchairs to reinforce their contingency stocks.
84 Persons with disability (PWDs) affected by the conflict in Southern Lebanon received Physical Rehabilitation services.
25 internally displaced women in PHC in southern suburbs of Beirut received Mental health & psychosocial support through group sessions.
7 Help the Helpers sessions conducted for 12 nurses in two hospitals in the Nabatieh governorate.
Ensuring Access to Safe Water
15 pumping stations in affected areas of Nabatieh and Southern Lebanon Governorates, including infrastructure located in the vicinity of the Blue Line, were maintained and repaired to serve 565,000 people.
Water establishments in Bekaa and Southern Lebanon governorates were supported with equipment and materials to help ensure a continuous supply of clean water for the people they serve (4 mobile generators - 2*250KVA, 2*350KVA, 63,000 liters of fuel, 30 water tanks with a total capacity of 300,000 liters, 5 fuel tanks of 4,000L each, consumables, and tools for maintenance of pumping stations and generators).
8 temporary shelters, hosting around 1,380 IDPs, were provided with 30,400 liters of fuel for powering generators, to improve people’s access to water and electricity.
10 large storage tanks were installed in southern Lebanon to ensure a supply of water for affected communities.
150,000 liters of water were trucked each week for 2 villages (1,300,0000 liters of water delivered so far).
The Lebanese Red Cross was supported with materials and tools to respond efficiently to emergency situations (4,518 disinfection kits, 720 shelter kits, 2,000 water bottles (2L), 10 Tapstands + 2 Oxfam water tanks 70m3 + 2 Oxfam water tanks 95m3).
Direct Support for Those in Need
45,565 people (9,113 families) from 49 communities within the 5 kilometers range from the blue line received Food parcels, were distributed in collaboration with the Lebanese Red Cross.
Limiting the effect of armed conflict for civilians
In coordination with ICRC’s Delegation in ILOT, parties to the conflict are reminded of their obligations under IHL and sensitized on the humanitarian impact of the ongoing hostilities.
Self-care messages are being shared with the population, to raise awareness on the risks posed by hostilities and weapon contamination, to prevent family separations and on mental health.
68 Civil defense units in southern Lebanon and Bekaa governorates were provided with specific protective emblem stickers for their emergency response vehicles as well as for critical infrastructure. the distribution of emblems is expected to reach Civil defense units across all country.
The promotion and dissemination of international humanitarian law and other applicable norms were strengthened among 585 actors, including non-state armed groups, security forces and the judiciary bodies.
To boost the emergency preparedness and response capacity of places of detention in conflict-affected areas:
Detaining authorities were trained on Risk Assessment and Contingency Planning.
13 places of detention received support to enhance safety of premises and enable the continuous provision of essential services, including water and healthcare, during emergencies, with donations of drugs and medical consumables, hygiene kits, mattresses and blankets, additional tanks to store water and fuel.
Preventing family separations and disappearances, ensuring dignified management of the dead
Preparedness was reinforced together with the LRC and ICRC’s Delegation in ILOT to provide connectivity services to separated families and respond to tracing requests.
87 members of 6 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were trained to adequately manage human remains.
At hospital level, training and drills were conducted on the management of mass fatalities.
1,790 body bags were donated to 6 EMSs and 3 hospitals.
ICRC’s contingency stock was reinforced up to 500 body bags for preparedness.
Work with our Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners
ICRC continued to support the Lebanese Red Cross in their conflict preparedness and response plan, mainly support to Emergency Medical Services and Blood Transfusion Services.
In the Governorates of Bekaa, Beirut and Southern Lebanon, 10 hospitals/health centers run by the Lebanon branch of the Palestine Red Crescent Society received 228,212 liters of fuel and 8 fuel tanks to help them continue their operations.
Support to Marjayoun Governmental Hospital
The ICRC signed a memorandum of understanding with Marjayoun Governmental Hospital, which foresees a monthly supply of medicines and consumables, essential medical equipment, and capacity-building and Mental Health and Psychosocial activities to enable the hospital to provide timely medical care to wounded and sick people.
1 weapon Wounded kit serving 50 critical cases prepositioned in the hospital.
70,000 liters of fuel and a new generator 250 KVA donated, 12 water tanks installed and 500 KVA generator repaired. repair, and donated.
Rehabilitation and equipment of the morgue and the warehouse and improvement of passive security measures.
Hospital fees covered for the stabilization and treatment of 12 weapon-wounded patients.
Support to Rafik Hariri University Hospital
Donations of100,000 liters of fuel. These include:
- Food and water supplies for staff and patients.
- Laboratory reagents for blood transfusion services.
- 2 war-wounded kits and 4 burn sets.
- Orthopedic supplies.
- Medicalized shelters for patients and healthcare workers.
- Separate shelter for staff and civilian. contingency stocks sufficient for up to 2,000 patients over a 10-day period are nearing finalization.
Decontamination area was established.
Connection to a Medium Voltage Electricity Line, ensuring nearly 24-hour daily power supply.
2 drinking water points were installed utilizing high salinity reverse osmosis.
Preventive maintenance was provided along with a donation of emergency repair equipment and consumables for generators.
Planning ahead
The ongoing hostilities and resulting humanitarian needs are expected to grow and last through 2025 depending on the evolution of the conflict, we cannot exclude massive increase at this point. To cope with the increasing challenges, the ICRC is further scaling up its response and deploying additional staff with additional skillsets, as well as increasing several different emergency stocks to provide humanitarian aid to affected people and communities. In the coming months, our priorities will be:
Maintaining life-saving health care services
Supporting healthcare services in Lebanon through initiatives aiming at providing support to hospitals, primary health care providers and prehospital/emergency medical services across the country. The ICRC remains actively dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by hospitals and healthcare centers due to the financial and emergency crisis, providing vital resources, training, and ongoing support to ensure these medical facilities can continue to operate effectively despite ongoing difficulties.
Ensuring access to safe water
Building capacities of utilities and population (hosting and displaced) and guaranteeing improved access to safe and ample source of water for affected population by providing all needed support and expertise.
Upholding access to food and essential items
Keeping a capacity to react to basic needs, the ICRC has built up its stock of food and non-food items to be able to readily support civilian population’s basic needs in case of disruption of the supply chain. It also aims at supporting the communities and local market by directing an ambitious cash program covering residents remaining in the 0-10 km area from the Blue Line, timely deployed in the face of the revenue gaps and tensions on the impoverished local market after 2 waves of displacement and the massive impact on the income generation capacity of the communities close to the conflict area.
Working to ensure better respect of international humanitarian law
Endeavoring to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening international humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles through dissemination of IHL and other applicable norms among a variety of actors including arms carriers, judiciary and the National Committee for IHL and through bilateral discussions.
Protecting civilians
Maintain efforts to prevent the suffering of the civilian population by monitoring respect for IHL and addressing violations and protection concerns with all parties to the conflict through confidential and bilateral dialogue. Efforts will also continue to boost emergency-response capacity in places of detention located in conflict-affected areas; to strengthen capacities to manage the dead in a dignified manner in mass fatality situations; to prevent family separations and disappearances.
Support to the Lebanese Red Cross and the Palestinian Red Crescent
The ICRC has increased its contributions to both national societies in an effort to enhance their capacities to act as first responders. Safer access trainings are being offered and coordination efforts with all partners of the movement are under way.
URGENT HELP NEEDED IN LEBANON
The ongoing escalations of armed conflict in the south of Lebanon have devastated children, families and communities. Families are struggling to find food, clean water, essential medical care. Please donate to support our work in this region now.
