Despite the ceasefire announced on 17 April, the humanitarian situation in Lebanon remained highly unstable during the reporting period. Hostilities continued across southern Lebanon, accompanied by renewed displacement orders affecting multiple localities, further undermining civilian protection and prospects for safe returns.
The report presents Action Against Hunger’s field findings from March to May 2026 on the deteriorating nutrition and health situation among infants, young children, and pregnant and lactating women amid the ongoing crisis in Lebanon.
Despite the announcement of the ceasefire as of 17 April, the humanitarian situation in Lebanon remained highly unstable during the reporting period, with continued insecurity forcing further population displacements, humanitarian access challenges, and undermining prospects for safe returns.
The humanitarian situation in Lebanon remained fragile and volatile, with developments during the reporting period further undermining prospects for civilian protection, safe and sustained returns, and unimpeded humanitarian access.
Since 2 March 2026, the conflict in Lebanon displaced over 1.1 million people, including more than 390,000 children,1 placing additional strain on already fragile systems in a context already affected by an economic crisis and protracted displacement.
Between 1 February and 31 March 2026, the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 494 Palestinians killed and at least 489 injured in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire in place since 10 October 2025.
In 2025, the MENA region faced overlapping crises including conflict, displacement, economic collapse, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks, placing children at risk and disrupting access to services.
Lebanon continues to confront a massive humanitarian crisis, despite the entry into effect of a 10-day ceasefire on 17 April, with hundreds of thousands of people remaining internally displaced and in urgent need of assistance.
As of the eve of the ten-day ceasefire announcement, the humanitarian situation in Lebanon continued to deteriorate, with prolonged displacement of people who have fled, leaving everything they own and jobs behind**, and are facing difficulties accessing safe and dignified shelter, and basic services**.
At least 2,196 people have been killed, including 172 children, and 7,185 wounded, including 661 children, following weeks of deadly airstrikes and military operations in Lebanon.
Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, people continue to be exposed to high levels of violence and restrictive policies, resulting in casualties and property damage, prolonging existing displacement, triggering new displacement and deepening humanitarian needs.
8 April marked the deadliest day of the conflict, with at least 303 people killed, including 33 children, and over 1,150 injured, including 153 children. The escalation has sharply increased protection risks for children, highlighting the acute threat to their safety, wellbeing, and access to essential services.
Continued escalation and geographic spread of hostilities Conflict continues to intensify across Lebanon, with airstrikes, artillery fire, and ground operations reported in the South, Nabatiyeh, Tyre District, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, while evacuation warnings and strikes have expanded to new areas, including in West Bekaa.
During his recent visit to Lebanon on 31 March, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, engaged Government officials, first responders and affected families impacted by the escalation.
The hostilities which have been ongoing for close to one-month have already claimed the lives of 1,238 people in Lebanon, including most recently rescue workers, journalists and a UN peacekeeper.
Escalating hostilities in the region in late February triggered an increase in cross-border movements from Lebanon into Syria. Between 2 and 27 March, over 202,477 individuals crossed into Syria through the three official border crossings, according to Syrian authorities.
