Country: Lebanon Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Nearly a month into a rapidly escalating conflict, Lebanon is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis. Since 2 March, following intense Israeli strikes and widespread evacuation orders, more than 1 million people – one in five residents – have been forced to flee their homes. Displacement now stretches from the south and the Bekaa to Beirut and the north, and numbers continue to rise. Even in displacement, people no longer feel safe. Last week, Israeli strikes hit central Beirut, including the densely populated neighbourhoods of Zokak Blat and Bashoura, where many people had sought safety. One strike landed just a block away from a school sheltering displaced families, one I had visited with the Governor of Beirut only days earlier. Families live in constant fear, and the psychological toll, particularly on children, will last far beyond the current conflict. Access to safety is also becoming increasingly difficult. The destruction of key bridges in the south has cut off entire districts, isolating over 150, 000 people and severely limiting humanitarian access. Many of the families that we at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, meet daily are displaced for the second or third time. Several have returned to the same school where they found shelter in 2024. Today, more than 136, 000 displaced people are staying in 660 collective shelters, most of them schools, filled far beyond capacity. Overcrowding, shared classrooms and limited access to sanitation and other basic services significantly increase protection risks, including exposure to exploitation and gender-based violence. Older people and those with disabilities are particularly affected, struggling to sleep on classroom floors or use facilities designated for children. Stress and trauma intensify in these cramped, substandard conditions. Beyond immediate shelter needs, there is a clear, urgent requirement for increased protection and community support. During a recent visit to one of the largest shelters in Saida, hosting over 1, 000 people, I saw how collaboration can help restore dignity and agency among the displaced. Central and local authorities, UNHCR, NGOs and volunteers were working alongside displaced families to organize recreational and learning activities for the 400 children staying there. Displaced men and women were also engaged in cooking and other meaningful activities, while UNHCR and its NGO partners provided counselling and dedicated protection support. The risk of a humanitarian catastrophe is real. But by supporting the government-led emergency response outlined in the Lebanon Flash Appeal, further risks – including violence, exploitation and rising tensions – can be mitigated. UNHCR continues to lead the protection and shelter sectors together with the Ministry of Social Affairs and NGO partners, and has delivered over 198, 000 essential relief items, while working to improve privacy and dignity within shelters. So far, UNHCR and partners have supported more than 27, 000 people with protection services, including psychosocial support, recreational activities, counselling and targeted assistance for the most vulnerable. With adequate funding for our initial appeal of more than $60 million, we can scale up these programmes within the inter-agency response. This support goes beyond the immediate emergency by strengthening national protection and social systems that the government has been working to reform. By responding to urgent needs today, we simultaneously invest in their long-term sustainability and resilience. However, needs are rising faster than resources. Without expanded shelter, overcrowding will worsen. Without strengthened protection, risks for children, women and vulnerable groups will increase. If aid does not reach people quickly, distress will turn into tension. Lebanon was already facing multiple crises, and this massive displacement is adding immense pressure on families and services. Civilians must be protected at all times. Again and again, people tell me the same thing: they simply want to go home. Our duty is to help them until they can do so safely. For more information, please contact:
UNHCR calls for urgent support in Lebanon as humanitarian catastrophe looms
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