Introduction
People in Lebanon, including refugees, are facing multiple challenges including poverty and food insecurity, while having limited access to basic services. Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have dramatically exacerbated these vulnerabilities.
Hostilities started right after the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, changing from limited incursions, shelling and exchanges of fire to severe air strikes on several areas of the country, including Beirut. This led to a sharp increase in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), reaching over 900,000 at the peak of the hostilities, alongside a rising toll of casualties, loss of livelihoods and growing healthcare needs. A fragile ceasefire agreement took effect on 27 November 2024. However, recurrent airstrikes by Israeli forces, mostly in South Lebanon, as well as widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure and essential services continue to hinder the safe return of displaced individuals. Events in neighbouring countries have a significant impact on the country as well, such as the targeted violence towards different groups in Syria, which – according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data – have led to more than 101,000 new displaced Syrians since 8 December 2024.
Previous emergencies (the Beirut port blast, COVID-19, the cholera outbreak of autumn 2022) are compounding the effects of the ongoing and severe economic crisis. Prices have risen drastically and nearly 2.5 million Lebanese nationals and Syrian refugees are food insecure.
What are the needs?
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), hostilities have impacted 1.2 million people in Lebanon. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) places the current number of IDPs at 90,020. Prior to the ceasefire, approximately 562,000 people had crossed from Lebanon into Syria due to the hostilities in Lebanon (63% of them Syrians).
The exact number of Lebanese and Syrians who remained in Syria is unknown due to the evolving situation in neighbouring Syria. The UNHCR indicates that around 101,925 individuals entered Lebanon from Syria since the fall of the Assad regime. Between 8 December 2024 and 15 April 2025, 151,688 Syrians have crossed from Lebanon into Syria (112,396 deactivated their registrations/recordings from UNHCR). This figure includes those with residency permits crossing for short-term or temporary visits and those who transited through Lebanon to return to Syria.
According to the latest UNHCR report on movements, as of 2 May 2025, 36,787 individuals (approximately 7,642 families), including 7,189 Syrian and 453 Lebanese families, have been displaced from Tartous, Lattakia, Homs and Hama in Syria to North and Akkar Governorates in Lebanon, with arrivals continuing. Most new arrivals crossed unofficial border points under duress and 90% of them are being hosted by local communities. Collective shelters made available by local municipalities are overcrowded and lack adequate sanitation.
In addition to the consequences of the hostilities and the economic crisis, Lebanon is in the grip of a severe financial and years-long political crisis. These have resulted in widespread poverty, the collapse of public services and escalating tensions between communities. The newly formed government will need time before it can implement and show results of the potential reforms to come, with limited time before the next elections.
The situation is further exacerbated by rising anti-refugee rhetoric. Lebanon is one of the countries with the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. Around 20% of Syrian refugee families live in informal settlements and collective shelters, often in deplorable conditions. In many cases, they face discrimination and bureaucratic hurdles, with extremely limited livelihood opportunities. These factors often lead refugees to resort to negative coping mechanisms.
The economic crisis has also pushed many Lebanese into poverty. Due to the depreciation of the Lebanese pound and high inflation, people’s purchasing power has significantly decreased.
Needs assessments show that all population groups struggle to cover their basic needs, particularly in terms of food and health care. Public services were already struggling before the economic crisis and are now on the verge of collapsing.
Access to healthcare has been drastically reduced due to financial barriers and lack of medicines. Many health staff have left the country due to low wages, making it even harder to access critical secondary health care. The current hostilities have aggravated the issues, with services struggling to respond to the needs of the displaced and conflict-affected.
More than 10% of the 1.2 million school-aged Lebanese children are out of school, mainly due to economic vulnerabilities. Additionally, 54% of the 715,000 Syrian refugee children are out of formal education, with only 47,000 of them accessing some form of non-formal education. The funding shortfalls are deeply affecting the support to refugees with key agencies reducing their footprint and reach in the country.
The recent escalation in 2024, which ended on 27 November 2024, has exacerbated the pre-existing needs for services among both vulnerable Lebanese and non-Lebanese population.
How are we helping?
In 2025, the EU is providing €93 million in humanitarian aid to help all vulnerable populations in Lebanon.
EU-funded humanitarian partners are also responding to the needs of those newly arrived in Lebanon due to the hostilities and violence in Syria, by providing food kits, healthcare, hygiene kits, protection services and psychosocial support. In addition, EU-funded humanitarian partners are addressing the needs of those still displaced by the hostilities of 2024 by providing emergency cash, shelter assistance, healthcare, hygiene kits, protection services and psychosocial support.
Since 2011, the EU allocated over €1.064 billion in humanitarian aid to respond to the urgent needs of the population, both Lebanese and refugees.
The EU-organised series of Brussels Conferences aim to address the needs of Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon. Through our humanitarian funding, we support vulnerable populations to meet their basic needs through healthcare, education, protection, legal and basic assistance.
We continue to support services for at-risk children and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Additionally, we fund the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and other partners to provide legal aid for obtaining essential documentation and securing legal residency.
Education in emergencies is a priority for the EU. In Lebanon, we ensure that out-of-school Syrian children have access to non-formal education while also supporting their transition into formal education.
In the health sector, the EU supports access to quality healthcare, including via the procurement of medicines and life-saving secondary health care for the most vulnerable.
In the basic needs sector, the EU provides monthly unrestricted cash assistance to vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian families to help them meet their essential needs. This aims to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis and hostilities and to reduce protection risks.
Last updated: 22/05/2025
Facts & figures
People in need of humanitarian assistance:
3.7 million people in need
2.05 million vulnerable Lebanese
90,020 registered IDPs
1.5 million displaced Syrians, of which around 815,000 Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR
More than 100,000 new displaced persons from Syria
489,000 Palestinian refugees
176,504 migrants
(sources: OCHA, UNHCR, and UNRWA, IOM)
EU funding:
€93 million in humanitarian aid in 2025
€2.73 billion since 2011, including over €1.064 billion in humanitarian aid