Displaced people fleeing the escalating conflict in Lebanon are being supported by the Irish humanitarian organisation Concern Worldwide as it appeals for more funding for relief efforts.
Concern is working with the UN High Commission for Refugees and the Lebanese Red Cross providing emergency shelter in the north of the country and trying to locate more buildings to use as accommodation.
The aid agency’s Lebanon team are providing “psychological first aid” to children who fled the violence, providing psychological support in the aftermath of a traumatic incident to reduce their initial distress.
They are also providing emergency cash assistance of US$90 per household so people can purchase essential items after fleeing their homes with little or nothing.
Lebanon – which has a similar population to Ireland in an area smaller than Munster – has seen over 100,000 people displaced since Monday this week, including some of the 1.5 million Syrian refugees living in the country.
This comes on top of the 111,696 people who had already been displaced in Lebanon since the start of the conflict in October 2023.
Over 600 people have also been killed in the south and east of the country, including 94 women and 50 children, according to UN and Ministry of Health reports.
“We are doing everything we can for the families we have been receiving in the north of the country in recent days,” said Concern’s Lebanon Country Director Sherzada Khan.
“We are drawing up an urgent response plan in areas where we are best placed to assist as this devastating crisis worsens while we hope for peace.
“Lebanon has been through so much already in recent years. And for the many Syrians living here, this is not their first time fleeing violence.
“Part of the work we have been doing in the 11 years we have been in Lebanon is rehabilitating buildings to provide safe shelter to people fleeing conflict and to bring them up to a good living standard.
“What we need now urgently is more funding so we can provide safe shelters and core relief items to improve hygiene and living standards like nappies, soaps and blankets. With more funding we could also provide more emergency cash assistance so people can buy food and essential needs.
“The continued hostilities have triggered another wave of internal displacement adding to the scale of the humanitarian crisis.
“The UN’s Lebanon humanitarian appeal for 2024 is already underfunded and the ongoing hostilities are bound to further exacerbate the funding situation with a direct impact on the people in need of critical and life-saving assistance.”