Middle East crisis: EU releases €5 million to support displaced people in Syria

In light of the ongoing escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which triggered massive population displacement and crossings of people from Lebanon to Syria, the European Commission mobilised an additional €5 million to address the most urgent humanitarian needs of the people crossing into Syria.

The new allocation aims to scale up humanitarian support for both Syrians and Lebanese, helping displaced people and host communities to fulfil immediate needs such as food assistance, health and protection.

The assistance will be channelled through EU humanitarian partners already responding to the displacement crisis in Syria to ensure critical aid will be provided swiftly to those arriving.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “The EU is deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of intensifying hostilities in Lebanon as these are already unfolding in Syria. De-escalation at regional level and continued international support are more crucial than ever to ensure civilians do not pay the toll of war. As we scale up assistance for those forcibly displaced, we call for the respect of international humanitarian law and protection of civilians who continue to be the most affected by violence.” 

Background

Both Lebanese people and Syrians refugees in Lebanon are experiencing massive displacement compounding the already existing multiple crises. According to EU humanitarian partners, intensified Israeli airstrikes since September have displaced 842,648 people in Lebanon and forced nearly 473,000 people to cross into Syria. 

Lebanon hosts some 1.5 million Syrian refugees who left their country due to the conflict in Syria, which has heavily affected critical infrastructure, leaving millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance.

The humanitarian situation in Syria remains extremely dire, with the current displacement crisis further exacerbating needs on the ground. Some 16.7 million people were already estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance, the highest level of need after over a decade of conflict that severely damaged basic civilian infrastructure.

Despite many challenges, the EU has continued to provide humanitarian aid to those in need across Syria since 2011. The EU, along with its Member States, is the largest donor to the Syria crisis. In 2024, the European Commission allocated €159 million in humanitarian aid to assist millions of people inside Syria, including the latest allocation.