“Lebanon was already on the verge of collapse; now it’s heading towards a humanitarian catastrophe”
As Israeli airstrikes continue in Lebanon, killing hundreds and forcing 90,000 people from their homes, Tearfund is warning that the country is on the brink of a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
Safa Hijazeen, Tearfund Regional Director for the Middle East, said: “People in Lebanon are terrified and confused, waiting for death and destruction to arrive. Lebanon was already on the verge of collapse; now it’s heading towards a humanitarian catastrophe”.
“Families in Lebanon are normalising war, it’s their daily bread now. Tens of thousands of children are missing school because it’s not safe to go out - instead they’re learning to tell the difference between a sonic bomb or another type of missile overhead.”
“The impact of the airstrikes in Lebanon will last for a generation. Bombs have wiped out much of the olive harvest for this year, and their toxic content means the ground won’t be safe to grow food for at least ten years.”
Tearfund is working through local churches and partners to provide shelter, food and assistance to people forced from their homes in Southern Lebanon by the fighting.
Daily life has been upended as schools are being used as shelters for the thousands who are seeking refuge from the fighting. Tearfund’s partners are distributing meals to people sheltering in schools in Beirut.
Meanwhile, the people of Gaza continue to face daily bombardment and the threat of disease and malnutrition. Tearfund’s partner IHP is providing life-saving medicine and desperately needed supplies. The shipments of medicine support a number of clinics run by staff in Gaza, including child and maternal health clinics.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Safa Hijazeen, Tearfund’s Regional Director for the Middle East (based in Amman, Jordan), is available for interview.
For further information please contact: Sam Perriman: [email protected] / 07783 770487
For out of hours media enquiries: 07929 339813 or [email protected].
For more information about the work of Tearfund or to donate, please visit tearfund.org/middleeast or call 020 3906 3906.
Tearfund is a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. We tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters and challenging injustice. We believe an end to extreme poverty is possible. Tearfund is also a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee. For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org.
