UN Refugee Chief Calls for Urgent International Support Amid Lebanon's Humanitarian Crisis

Grandi highlighted the moral imperative of helping those affected by the conflict and urged the international community to step in to prevent further suffering.

Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, called for greater international support on Sunday to address the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Lebanon. Two weeks of relentless Israeli airstrikes have killed hundreds and displaced over a million people, compounding the country's existing challenges.

Grandi visited Beirut to show solidarity with the Lebanese people and refugees, emphasizing the urgent need for more global assistance. He stressed the importance of preserving supply routes within and into Lebanon, as the conflict is disrupting vital relief shipments.

“I’ve witnessed today the tragic toll this war is taking on entire communities,” Grandi said, after meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati and other senior officials. He called for the respect of international humanitarian law, underscoring the desperation of displaced families. "Families have been left homeless, stranded in the open air with traumatized children unable to understand what’s happening. They all told me how desperate they are to feel safe, and for the airstrikes to stop so they can return to their towns and villages."

Grandi highlighted the moral imperative of helping those affected by the conflict and urged the international community to step in to prevent further suffering. Lebanon's government-run shelters are overwhelmed by the influx of displaced people, and the UNHCR, alongside humanitarian partners and authorities, is urgently seeking safe shelter for all those in need.

UNHCR is providing essential relief items, cash assistance, shelter, medical care, and other support, but Grandi emphasized the need for significantly increased international funding to adequately respond to the crisis. The agency has launched an appeal for $111 million to assist 1 million displaced people in Lebanon through the end of 2024. This is part of a wider UN appeal for $425.7 million.

During his visit, Grandi also met with displaced Syrian refugees in Beirut’s Nabaa neighborhood, acknowledging Lebanon's long-standing generosity in hosting refugees, including those who fled Syria. “These refugees are now forced to flee again with scant resources and nowhere safe to go,” he noted.

Grandi's visit to Lebanon will be followed by a trip to Syria, where he plans to meet with authorities and with both Lebanese and Syrians who have fled across the border. His mission aims to rally international support for both countries as they grapple with unprecedented humanitarian challenges.