The last two weeks in Lebanon have been hell for the millions of ordinary people now caught up in mounting violence.
Since the escalation of violence and bombings in Lebanon, more than 2,100 people have been killed or injured. While the relentless airstrikes continue, the dangers are spiralling.
My family is separated, each of us in a different shelter. I don’t even know the name of the place where I am – I can’t keep track due to the emotional drain, anxiety, and fear… When the bombardments started, we had to leave quickly. It breaks my heart to have left my home, not knowing how long I’ll be away."
- Aya*, woman in Lebanon
*Names changed to protect identities
Women like Aya are living in fear every single day, unsure when the next round of bombings will come. With makeshift shelters in schools, gymnasiums and other buildings full, many are having to sleep on the streets or in cars without enough food or clean water.
1 million have been forced to flee
Almost half of people in Lebanon were already living in poverty. Now more than 1 million have been forced to flee their homes, leaving all their belongings behind and with no safe place to go. The needs are piling up and panic, chaos and fear are spreading fast.
The process of relocating is exhausting and overwhelming. It feels as though I've left my entire life behind, and the loss of my privacy in the shelters weighs heavily on my heart.
Now, with the relentless bombardments intensifying, I am terrified at the thought of having to move again. This uncertainty haunts me, and I feel utterly broken by everything that has happened."
- Elias*, older man in Lebanon
How CARE is responding
People across Lebanon are supporting each other, leading their own community response and gathering supplies, but they need urgent support. CARE is there, and together with our partners we’ve reached over 25,000 people since the recent escalation with supplies including food, clean water and hygiene kits, as well as mental health support.
Our teams are working around the clock, but more help is desperately needed – and an end to the violence is critical.
We believe everyone deserves to feel safe. CARE International UK is urging the UK Government to make every effort to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Lebanon , and halt the escalation of the conflict.
“We urgently need a strong mobilisation of the international community to stop this indiscriminate violence. International humanitarian law must be respected. Civilians must be protected, as must humanitarian workers. A permanent and immediate ceasefire must be established immediately to put an end to this situation.”
- Michael Adams, country director of CARE in Lebanon
How you can help
We urgently need your support so that CARE can continue to deliver aid to those who need it the most.
Please join thousands of CARE supporters in the UK who are determined to help protect women and their communities from this horrific conflict, and donate to our urgent appeal today.