Nearly 700,000 displaced in Lebanon as UN warns of funding shortfall

2026-03-10 - 11:42

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed on Tuesday that escalating hostilities in Lebanon have forced nearly 700,000 individuals to leave their residences in just over a week. The sharp rise in displacement follows renewed Israeli airstrikes and mandatory evacuation notices affecting more than 53 villages and densely populated areas since early March. “Lives have been upended on a massive scale,” stated Karolina Lindholm Billing, the UNHCR representative in Lebanon, addressing journalists in Geneva. She emphasized that families are fleeing with minimal belongings, seeking safety in government shelters or with relatives, while many struggle to find accommodation amid the chaos. According to Lebanese authorities, the government’s online displacement platform registered over 667,000 people, with more than 100,000 additions in a single day, highlighting the rapid deterioration of the situation. Cross-border movements and regional impact The violence has also triggered significant cross-border movement, with Syrian authorities reporting that over 78,000 Syrians and more than 7,700 Lebanese nationals have crossed into Syria since the conflict intensified. Billing noted that many of those displaced are experiencing repeated upheaval, having previously fled hostilities in 2024, leaving communities traumatized and fearful. This new wave of displacement further strains regional stability, with Türkiye closely monitoring the situation given its humanitarian role and border proximity. UNHCR’s urgent appeal for funding Despite delivering approximately 168,000 emergency relief items to over 63,000 displaced people across more than 270 shelters, the UNHCR warned that its Lebanon response is only 14% funded. “Every day this conflict continues, more suffering is inflicted on hundreds of thousands of civilians, while Lebanon and the region are further destabilized,” Billing cautioned. She reiterated the need for civilian protection and unhindered humanitarian access to deliver aid to those in urgent need.