Following the violent disputes in the coastal region of Syria in recent days, the humanitarian situation is tense. Many people are fleeing. To help the affected families quickly, Malteser International starts emergency relief measures and provides the people with food and medical support. Hospitals receive medicines and 600 families are provided with basic foodstuffs.
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.
Ongoing turbulence and lack of investments in Syria’s civilian infrastructure threaten any attempts that Syrians are making to recover after 14 years of crisis.
Since 2019, UNHCR, in partnership with various organizations, has conducted monthly Protection Monitoring (PM) surveys with Syrian refugees across Lebanon.
For the past 10 days Israel has blocked all entry of food, fuel, medicine and other vital supplies for civilians, and is now shutting off electricity – yet another cruel act of collective punishment and a flagrant violation of international law.
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.
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.
In 2024, Syrian children continued to endure the effects of the ongoing conflict, economic collapse, and displacement, culminating in the fall of the government on 8 December. The humanitarian situation remains fluid and unpredictable.
Renard emphasized the importance of continuing the current surge. “The ceasefire must hold, and all border crossings must remain open and operational at full capacity. There can be no going back.”
The security situation in Syria remained volatile with sporadic security escalations. Hostilities continues to impact Northeast Syria (NES), particularly in eastern Aleppo and around the Tishreen Dam, as well as in Al-Hasakeh and ArRaqqa governorates.
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.
Since the ceasefire, WFP has provided emergency cash and in-kind food assistance to 580,500 people in addition to its regular programmes- bringing the total people assisted in January to 1.41 million, across both regular and emergency programmes.
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.
Improvement in assortment, availability and resilience of supply chains in South and Baalbek-El Hermel saw market functionality back at par with national levels by December 2024.
The World Food Programme today announced that the ceasefire in Gaza has allowed it to bring in more than double the monthly average of food it delivered prior to the ceasefire being in place.
