Escalation of war worsens humanitarian crisis in Lebanon

By Lisa Zengarini

The ongoing escalation of border clashes between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah militants risks causing another major humanitarian crisis in already battered Lebanon.

Since the outbreak of the war between Hamas and Israel on October 7, 2023, Southern Lebanon has seen almost daily incursions, shelling, and exchanges of fire between the Iranian-backed militias and Israeli forces that have forced thousands of Lebanese families to flee their homes.

82,000 displaced, including Christian families

According to the most recent data published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 82,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, 20 per cent of whom are children.

In one week alone from November 7 to 14, 2023, the number of displaced people doubled, from 26,323 to 46,325 people, and there has been a further substantial increase over the past weeks with over 18,000 people leaving their homes.

Most them have fled the villages close to the border with Israel. As reported recently by the Pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Christian villages have also been affected by the cross-fire.

About one in five displaced Lebanese are now hosted by families in other parts of the country, while 16% live in rented accommodation but, according to Lebanese daily L’Orient-le-Jour , high rents have made this option unaffordable for most of them.

Agricultural sector in Southern Lebanon affected by the fighting

The fighting has also heavily affected the agricultural sector, which represents 80 per cent South Lebanon’s GDP. Clashes began in full harvest season with many olive and fruit crops destroyed by Israeli attacks, leaving many families without their only source of income.

Besides growing international anxiety over the war in Gaza escalating into a full-scale regional war, the escalation in Southern Lebanon also raises concerns for the already critical humanitarian situation in the Land of Cedars, which continues to be in the grip of a severe financial and economic crisis compounded by political deadlock and corruption.   Lebanon is alo one of the countries with the highest number of refugees per capita , most of whom  from Syria.

This compounding set of multiple crises has resulted in widespread poverty, the collapse of public services, which were already struggling before the economic crisis broke out in 2019, and escalating community tensions as well as growing  hostility against the  Syrian refugees.

Increasing poverty in Lebanon 

As prices skyrocket due to the severe economic crisis, nearly 2 million Lebanese and Syrian refugees are food insecure, and this number is now expected to rise further.

Data show that all population groups struggle to cover their basic needs, including health care. Access to health care has been drastically reduced due to financial problems and lack of medicine. Many health staff have left the country because of inadequate wages, making it even harder to access critical secondary health care.

More than  ten per cent of the 1.2 million school-aged Lebanese children are out of school, mainly due to economic difficulties. Additionally, 60 per cent  of the 715,000 Syrian refugee children are out of formal education, with only 47,000 of them accessing some form of non-formal education.

The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has further increased the pre-existing needs for services, especially among the most vulnerable both in the Lebanese and non-Lebanese population.