Needs-Oriented urgent response for Lebanon (NOUR)

As of March 2026, the humanitarian situation in Lebanon and the wider Middle East has deteriorated sharply, reaching a critical point following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent escalation of violence across the region. The intensification of bombardments in Lebanon has triggered large-scale internal displacement, with more than 1 Mio people on the move. This new wave of displacement compounds an already severe and protracted crisis: Lebanon continues to host the world’s highest number of displaced people per capita while grappling with the long-lasting impacts of the 2019 economic collapse, the Beirut port explosion, and the ongoing depreciation of the Lebanese Pound, which pushed inflation to unprecedented levels in recent years. Essential services are overstretched, shelters are overcrowded, and growing numbers of families seek refuge in temporary or makeshift conditions. Against this backdrop of conflict, economic fragility, and deepening humanitarian needs across Lebanese, Syrian, and migrant communities, immediate assistance is essential to protect civilians and support their survival and wellbeing.

Caritas Switzerland is rapidly mobilizing emergency support to address the urgent needs of households across Lebanon by providing critical supplies and urgent humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities.

Caritas Switzerland is providing critical supplies and essential humanitarian assistance to communities affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In close collaboration with AMEL Association and Caritas Lebanon, the response delivers emergency and transitional aid to internally displaced people and affected residents living inside temporary shelters, mainly public schools, as well as outside shelters, through a combination of in-kind distributions that include hygiene kits, food parcels, ready-to-eat meals, mattresses, blankets, and pillows.

In addition, affected populations will be supported through access to primary healthcare services, including medical consultations, diagnostic tests, physiotherapy sessions, medication distribution, and the provision of assistive devices. Health services will be delivered through partner-operated primary healthcare centres as well as through homecare visits and mobile outreach teams to ensure access to care for displaced populations residing in shelters and underserved areas. This rapid response aims to address the most urgent needs of affected populations. Overall, the response aims to reach 16’302 unique beneficiaries with immediate, targeted, and life-saving support.