The hostilities in the Tartous, Lattakia, Homs, and Hama Governorates of Syria in early March continue to displace people on a daily basis into the North and Akkar Governorates of north Lebanon.
Phase One of the Gaza ceasefire, from 19 January to 1 March 2025, allowed the humanitarian community to rapidly implement a prepared scale-up of its response. It enabled the daily entry of a large volume of humanitarian supplies and a steady stream of fuel.
To facilitate humanitarian cash programming, the Northeast of Syria Cash Working Group (NES CWG), in collaboration with local and international NGOs, carries out a monthly Joint Market Monitoring Initiative in Northern Syria. This initiative (JMMI) assesses the availability and prices of basic commodities typically sold in markets and consumed by the average Syrian household.
Save the Children is providing aid to 4,000 displaced families in Latakia, including 12,000 blankets and 4,000 ready-to-eat rations, such as canned tuna and meat, biscuits, and energy bars, through local partners, including Syria Relief and Action for Humanity.
In 2025, children in Lebanon are bearing the profound toll of the conflict that escalated across the country in 2024. A new UNICEF report exposes the deterioration of key support systems for children — such as safe learning environments, and access to healthcare, nutrition, and clean water — leading to heightened risks of exploitation, barriers to processing emotional trauma, and significant challenges to their cognitive and social development.
Since 2019, UNHCR, in partnership with various organizations, has conducted monthly Protection Monitoring (PM) surveys with Syrian refugees across Lebanon.
Ongoing military activities and the widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure, and essential services—both during the conflict and after the cessation of hostilities—continue to hinder the safe return of displaced individuals.
Following the second deadline for the cessation of hostilities on 18 February 2025, the country to the south of Lebanon withdrew from population centres in southern Lebanon while maintaining a military presence in five strategic locations along the Blue Line.
This Area-Based Assessment (ABA) was conducted to identify the critical needs and priorities1 of affected populations through a combination of household (HH) surveys, key informant (KI) interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs).
Since October 2023, IFRC has been supporting LRC’s efforts to prepare for and respond to the spill-over effects of the escalation of hostilities in Gaza through its multi-country Emergency Appeal for the Middle East Complex Emergency, which addresses the regional implications of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
On 2 March, Israeli authorities announced a halt to humanitarian aid entering Gaza, jeopardizing progress made in delivering vital, lifesaving assistance since the ceasefire took effect on 19 January.
Among key priorities for the Government identified by the Prime Minister in his statement upon the occasion were implementation of Resolution 1701, ensuring a complete Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, asserting the state’s sovereignty over all its territories exclusively through its forces and securing post-conflict reconstruction.
Mobility Tracking data indicates that 949,571 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have begun returning to their communities. Given the complexity and fluidity of population movements in the country, these observed returns cannot be considered permanent and should be viewed as a snapshot in time, as many people remain on the move.
Over 586,000 children under the age of 10 have been vaccinated for poliovirus across Gaza, reaching 99 per cent of the target population since the campaign began on 22 February.
On 18 February, the Israel Army withdrew from remaining population centres in southern Lebanon, while maintaining presence in five strategic positions along the Blue Line. The Lebanese Armed Forces deployed into vacated areas, supporting population returns.
Since October 8 there has been an increase in cross-border incidents between Israel and Lebanon, resulting in the displacement of people both within the South and elsewhere within the country.
The recent shift of power in Syria on 8 December 2024 has reshaped the humanitarian landscape, bringing both new challenges and opportunities for recovery across the country.
