Lebanon: Emergency Response Weekly Operational Update – SitRep #6 – Lebanon

Monday, October 28th – Sunday, November 3rd SITREP #6

• Ongoing Crisis and Impact on Healthcare: The humanitarian situation in Lebanon remains dire, with extensive Israeli attacks causing widespread casualties and damage. The conflict has resulted in 2,867 deaths, over 13,000 injuries, and mass displacement of 1.2 million people. Critical healthcare infrastructure has suffered, with 55 attacks on facilities, leading to hospital closures and reduced capacity.
• Emergency Assistance and Shelter Management: Amel has covered 162 collective shelters since September, with 83 focal points facilitating coordination. Aid distributions include hygiene kits, thermal blankets, and food parcels to meet the urgent needs of displaced families. Community groups within shelters help ensure accountability.
• Health Services and Psychosocial Support: Amel has provided thousands of medical consultations and distributed essential medications. Mental health and psychosocial support continue, with interventions for children, adults, and caregivers, addressing trauma and distress. Psychological First Aid has been given to nearly 8,700 displaced persons since September.
• Education and Child Support Activities: Amel has organized extensive educational and psychosocial sessions for displaced children, with over 10,600 children participating in recreational and learning activities. Life skills and emotional support sessions aim to promote well-being and stability for young children and their caregivers amid ongoing hardships.

CONTEXT

At the end of the month, the situation remains extremely tense, with ongoing Israeli attacks targeting cities and villages across Lebanon. Since the conflict began, 178 paramedics have lost their lives, 279 have been injured, and 246 emergency vehicles have been targeted. The vulnerability of healthcare workers and facilities has become increasingly pronounced. There have been 55 documented attacks on healthcare facilities, with 36 hospitals directly targeted. These attacks have led to the forced closure of eight hospitals, with an additional seven operating at reduced capacity.

On October 30, three airstrikes struck Saida, resulting in 15 fatalities and 56 injuries. At the same time, the entire city of Baalbek was placed under an evacuation order, causing another wave of mass displacement, while Nabatiyeh also came under heavy bombardment. The following day, October 31, Israeli forces targeted civil defense and rescue workers in Tyre. For the first time since the start of the conflict, the Israeli military issued an evacuation order on October 31 for a Palestinian refugee camp, along with ten villages in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, airstrikes continued in Beirut’s southern suburbs, with a significant strike on Saturday afternoon in the Hazmieh area, and a vehicle targeted in Dahret El-Wahech, Mount Lebanon. Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reports that, since October 8, 2023, the violence has led to 2,867 fatalities, including 178 children and 560 women, and has left over 13,000 injured. The displacement crisis remains severe, with 1,2 million people forced to leave their homes. Of these, 191,692 are now staying in 1,130 collective shelters, 948 of which have reached full capacity. Public spaces like the Corniche and Martyrs’ Square in Beirut are crowded with displaced individuals, many of whom are facing increasingly difficult conditions following the season’s first rains on Saturday, November 2.

Amidst this crisis, Amel remains committed to its humanitarian response, focusing on delivering basic assistance, primary health services, and protection support to those affected by the conflict, including internally displaced persons. In parallel, Amel emphasizes a coordinated and complementary response, collaborating with other partners through relevant government and United Nations-led structures.