Several major UK humanitarian charities have launched emergency fundraising appeals as they respond to a growing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
Charities including UNICEF UK, ActionAid, Oxfam, Islamic Relief and the British Red Cross have all started asking for donations in the last week in response to the crisis and have either launched new appeals or expanded their existing Gaza appeals to cover Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has said it is “monitoring” the situation, although it is yet to launch any formal appeal.
The organisation said: “The DEC is closely monitoring the crisis as it develops, and assessing it against our criteria for launching a national fundraising appeal in the UK.”
Lebanon appeals launched
According to the Guardian, over the last fortnight Israeli airstrikes have reportedly killed over 1,000 people, injured around 6,000, and forced a million people to flee their homes, leaving them with little to no access to food, clean water or shelter.
The new crisis has struck the Middle Eastern country at a time when it was already struggling, following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Beirut explosion in 2020; a 2022 cholera outbreak, violent political conflicts, and an ongoing economic crisis.
Islamic Relief has launched a new appeal and set a target of raising £10m to support people displaced by the conflict.
The charity has been working in Lebanon since the Gaza conflict first began on 7 October last year, providing food, hygiene kits, blankets and mattresses, and will be using donations to continue supporting the Lebanese people.
UNICEF UK has launched an appeal to support displaced children and families in Lebanon.
Between 24-27 September, the children’s charity has supported 35 collective shelters, hosting more than 14,000 displaced people, and its workers have been supplying clean water, blankets, sleeping bags, hygiene kits and dignity kits to those in need.
ActionAid has launched a Lebanon Crisis appeal to support displaced children and families, with a particular focus on women and girls.
The charity, which primarily supports women and girls living in poverty, is working with local partners on the ground in Lebanon to provide food, clean water, shelter and medical assistance to those in need.
Gaza appeals expanded
Oxfam’s newly renamed Gaza and Lebanon appeal now incorporates the latter country too.
The charity is working with local partners on the ground in Lebanon to provide food, clean water, hygiene kits and cash assistance to those in need and is supporting the operation of shelters in Beirut, Mount Lebanon and North Lebanon.
Action Against Hunger has expanded its Gaza and West Bank appeal to include Lebanon.
It has already been working in Lebanon since 7 October, and in that time, its workers have been providing hot meals, clean water, blankets and cash assistance, and will use donations to continue this work.
The British Red Cross has also expanded its Gaza crisis appeal to include Lebanon.
Working directly on the ground with the Lebanese Red Cross, the charity is providing food, clean water and medical care, including vital services like blood transfusions and ambulances for those injured in explosions.
CARE International has expanded its Gaza and West Bank crisis appeal to include Lebanon, and is providing food, clean water and “short-term shelter kits” to those in need, as well as hygiene kits and dignity kits to women and girls who menstruate.
The charity is also looking to use donations to scale up its response to the crisis in Lebanon by working with local women’s organisations on the ground to protect those fleeing from their homes from the increased risks of gender-based violence, abuse and exploitation.
Concern Worldwide has extended its Gaza appeal to include Lebanon and is providing cash assistance, mental health first aid, hygiene kits, dignity kits for menstruating women and girls and other essential items like kitchen cookware.
Plan International has relaunched its Gaza appeal as the Gaza and Lebanon Children’s Emergency Appeal.
Working with local partners in Lebanon, the children’s rights charity is providing food, hygiene kits, blankets and mattresses to children and their families in need.
It has also said that it is ready to offer child protection expertise; mental health support and opportunities to learn.
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