Thousands of Lebanese and Syrian families are fleeing desperately from Lebanon to Syriaas Israeli airstrikes continue to have a devastating impact on the lives of civilians. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is increasing its support for the growing number of displaced people.
Hundreds of vehicles are stuck on the Syrian border. In addition, many people are also arriving on foot, carrying with them what they can. A crowd of people – including women, small children and babies – are waiting at the border in line to try to cross, after having spent the night outdoors, despite the drop in temperatures. Some of the people who gather there have injured in recent bombings.
“This bloodshed is wreaking terrible havoc, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “It is a new blow for families who had previously fled the war in Syria and are now suffering from bombings in the country where they sought refuge. We must prevent these scenes of despair and devastation from being repeated. The Middle East cannot afford a new displacement crisis. Let’s not create a new crisis by forcing more people to leave their homes. “Protecting civilian lives must be the priority.”
UNHCR and its partners, including the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, are present at border crossings, providing food, water, blankets and mats to new arrivals, and referring them to support services available once in Syria. The humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire after the 2023 earthquake and protracted conflict have left critical infrastructure in ruins and millions of people in need of assistance.
According to the Lebanese authorities, more than 27,000 people have been displaced in the last 48 hours, a figure that grows by the moment. The latest attacks have claimed the lives of 558 people and 1,835 have been injured.
UNHCR is responding to the needs of forcibly displaced people across Lebanon, in close coordination with authorities and other humanitarian organizations. UNHCR teams are prepared to help more civilians who have fled airstrikes, providing them with shelter, medical care and psychosocial support.
Lebanon is home to approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees and more than 11,000 refugees from other countries.
You can send urgent help through UNHCR.
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