International Red Cross Launches Fundraising Drive for War-Torn Lebanon
The Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched a $115.8 million emergency appeal to aid Lebanon on Tuesday to combat the growing humanitarian crisis unfolding amid the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
Speaking to the Associated Press on Tuesday during a visit to Beirut, IFRC Secretary-General Jagan Chapagain highlighted the urgency of international support.
“Needs are just growing so fast,” Chapagain said after meeting with local officials.
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Last month, Israel launched a limited incursion and massively ramped up airstrikes across Lebanon, leading to the displacement of some 1.2 million people, according to Lebanese government figures. Meanwhile, the prime minister’s office reports the displacement of 60,000 people in northern Israel.
Over 472,000 people, many Syrian nationals who fled the country’s ongoing civil war, have since fled across the border into Syria, according to a recent UN report.
The IFRC’s appeal, which aims to support Lebanon’s struggling economy and the Lebanese Red Cross, covers a projected two-year period. Chapagain warned that even if the violence stops, recovery will be slow, especially as the months grow colder and displaced families urgently need blankets, heaters, and hygiene supplies.
Chapagain also highlighted concerns for the safety of aid workers during the interview, stating that over 30 IFRC staff and volunteers have died this year globally, with Lebanon seeing 17 wounded, some twice, while conducting rescue operations.
“This is something unheard of many years ago,” he said, urging the international community to come together to find a diplomatic solution to the conflicts devastating the region.
