Following the widescale Israeli bombings of multiple areas in Lebanon on Monday 23 September, MSF is gradually stepping up its response to the escalating humanitarian needs by delivering primary healthcare and essential relief items to the displaced population. According to the Ministry of Health, 558 people were killed and 1,835 injured and thousands more forced to flee their homes to seek refuge elsewhere in the country.
Our teams are distributing non-food items like mattresses and hygiene kits to collective shelters across the country, and our mobile medical units provide primary and mental healthcare to shelters for those in need. In addition, we are running mental health helplines, offering psychological support to displaced and affected individuals during this time of distress.
We continue to coordinate closely with our partners and hospital networks, offering support where possible as the situation develops.
Since yesterday, some of our staff in south Lebanon, Beirut and other parts of the country left their homes, with people fleeing and spending hours in traffic congestion as they seek refuge in safer locations. In south Lebanon and Baalbek-Hermel, areas that continue to experience heavy aerial strikes, MSF staff reported bombardments in close proximity to their homes. Many of our staff there were still sheltering in their homes, while Israeli warplanes continued to fly overhead and throughout the night.
Update on 26 September:
Since 23 September MSF mobile clinics visited two locations in Mount Lebanon where displaced people have taken shelter. We are providing medical and mental health consultations. We have donated essential items including mattresses, blankets, and hygiene kits to displaced people in 8 sites in Saida and Tripoli. We are actively assessing the needs in order to scale up support.
Today we have reopened our clinic in Baalbek-Hermel to provide patients with much-needed medications for their chronic conditions. Simultaneously, our mental health helplines are receiving over 60 calls a day from people experiencing rising mental health needs.
According to Lebanon's disaster risk management unit, over 104,000 people have been displaced by the latest ongoing escalation. Many have lost homes and loved ones. In addition to medical support, people are in need of basic supplies like mattresses and hygiene products.
MSF is gravely concerned about Israel’s bombing campaign in Lebanon, much of which is taking place in densely populated urban areas. We call for the immediate de-escalation of hostilities to prevent further suffering, injury, and loss of life.
