Lebanon Hopes for International Support to Address the Refugee Crisis

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Nasser Yassine, the Minister of Environment and head of the National Emergency Committee in Lebanon, stated today, Tuesday, that his country requires $250 million monthly to assist around one million refugees as a result of Israeli attacks, ahead of a conference scheduled for Thursday in Paris to rally support for Lebanon.

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He added that the government’s efforts, supported by local initiatives and international aid, have only covered 20% of the needs of about 1.3 million refugees currently living in public buildings or with relatives.

Yassine noted that these needs are likely to increase as daily waves of airstrikes drive more people to leave their homes, while the Lebanese government works to find ways to accommodate them.

He stated, “We need $250 million a month to cover the costs of basic services such as food, water, sanitation, and education for the refugees.”

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In recent days, schools, an old slaughterhouse, a fresh food market, and an empty residential complex have been turned into collective shelters. Yassine remarked, “We are working to convert anything, any public building. There is much to be done.”

The Minister of Environment now spends most of his time at the government headquarters with the crisis team, which includes representatives from other Lebanese ministries, the United Nations Development Program, and the Lebanese Red Cross.

The team is planning relief operations on a timeline of four to six months, but Yassine hopes for the swift end of the ongoing war.

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He said, “We need a ceasefire today, and we need every individual in the international community, if only once, to have the courage to say what is happening,” adding that he will emphasize this message in Paris.

He continued, “There is a UN member state waging war on a small country in the most aggressive ways we have witnessed in Lebanon’s history. This must be the message.”

Yassine explained that the scale of damage inflicted on Lebanon due to Israeli attacks is estimated in the billions of dollars, adding, “Entire villages have been blown up at the border in recent days, in addition to public institutions… and water facilities, pumping stations, hospitals… all of this needs to be rebuilt.”

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Lebanese authorities have not yet provided an accurate estimate of the extent of the destruction in Lebanon or the funds required for the reconstruction process.

Last week, Nasser Saidi, a former economy minister, stated that Israeli bombings have caused damages that would cost $25 billion to repair.

Blerta Aliko, the UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon, stated today, Tuesday, that the damages will have long-term effects and will include a “significant loss of capital,” including Lebanon’s ability to meet its long-term food needs.

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She added, “I am not talking about what is needed in the short term, next month. I am talking about the impact on the harvest season that will take place in the south and the east. They are very important for the country.”

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