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Overview of the security situation

Since Wednesday 12 July, the Israeli army has launched a massive military operation against Lebanon and its people allegedly in response to the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hizbollah.

To date, more than 100 women, men, girls and boys have lost their lives. Civilians have been directly targeted and continue to be targeted often while fleeing their villages and homes. Entire families have succumbed to direct Israeli missiles in Tyre, Marwaheen, Haret Hreik, Baalbek, Akkar and many other parts of the country.

Infrastructural damage is humongous as the Israeli army is destroying airports, seaports, wheat warehouses, gas stations, water and electricity supplies, bridges, communication centers, international roads as well as residential and commercial areas.

This offensive represents a collective punishment of civilians, the destruction of services, and the destruction of the economy as well as an imposition of a siege on the entire population of Lebanon.

The cruelty of the Israeli attacks is only matched by the indifference of the international community. Last Friday's meeting of the UN Security Council failed to issue a statement condemning the Israeli attacks perpetrated against unarmed civilians. Furthermore, the helplessness of the Lebanese government has meant a total failure in responding to the needs of the population for peace.

Notwithstanding the differences in analyzing the reasons which led to the present unprecedented escalation of violence and destruction in Lebanon and in the region, it is important to underline the following two main points:

• The disproportionate use of force and violence by the Israeli armed forces which is not commensurate with the Hizbollah military operation against Israeli soldiers;
• The Lebanese governments as well as several countries in and beyond the region, while condemning the Israeli aggression, recognize the right of Lebanon to resistance and thus indicating that that the Hizbollah resistance in this case is legitimate.

Overview of the humanitarian situation

General Situation

As a result, the current humanitarian situation is volatile and is worsening by the minute.

Displacement and exodus from South Lebanon and the Southern Suburbs has now become massive. Displaced communities are leaving towards the Bekaa, North Lebanon, the mountains, etc... Their routing is very much ad hoc and depends on the availability of safe roads. The Israeli army has sent out tracts ordering the population to flee South Lebanon to the North, despite IDF destruction of most roads, making evacuation difficult at best and impossible at worst.

In fact, the Israeli security minister has declared that Israel intends to displace the population of South Lebanon in order to exercise pressure on Hizbollah.

The main problem remains for those who are still under siege and who cannot leave their original residence for various reasons. Their situation is worsening in view of the continuous bombardments and Israeli military aggressions and the lack of supplies, food, and medication. There is an urgent need to evacuate the injured and those who need to leave and to support those who cannot leave with basic supplies.

Newspapers estimate at least 200 displaced families in the Shouf area, 70 in the Iqlim, and hundreds in the Aley Area.

CRTD.A is monitoring the situation and will send updates as we receive them.

Government relief efforts

The Lebanon High Commission for Relief has now been put in motion. The Commission is coordinating with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Public Health as well as the NGO community.

The government has now de-blocked 50 billion Lebanese pounds (circa 33 million USD) for direct assistance to IDPs. They are putting together relief kits of $50 per family covering food and basic necessities. Whether this can continue and can be sustained is questionable. Additional funds will be mobilized from the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health. The government has also received 70 million USD from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, in addition to relief aid in kind arriving from UAE and Syria.

The government is trying to coordinate efforts with Civil Society Organizations on the following areas:

1. Evacuation of the wounded (essentially undertaken by the army, civil defense and the Lebanese Red Cross under difficult conditions as their vehicles are often targeted by Israeli fires - Yesterday the premises of the Civil Defense in Tyre were attacked and destroyed resulting in the killing of at least 2 civilian families)
2. Hospitalization (mainly the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and so far done adequately as all the hospitals in the country have been mobilized to that effect)
3. Assistance to the internally displaced mainly in Beirut, the Bekaa, North Lebanon and the mountains.

The government has taken it upon itself to provide necessities such as mattresses, basic food supplies, and medications. This leaves other needs unmet, especially those related to women, children and infants, environmental hygiene, and drinking water.

Up until this weekend, the government distributed 12,000 mattresses, which is almost a third of those needed at this point. Whether they are able to continue to provide this aid is unsure.

Overall relief effort from government and NGOs is largely uncoordinated. There are major problems of securing supplies and transportation, which means that people are not getting basic needs on time.

NGO relief efforts in Beirut

CRTD.A has recently joined an ad hoc Relief Center that formed and based itself in Zicco House, Hamra - Beirut (Zicco House Relief Center).

It is now meeting on a daily basis, and the Relief Center is open 24 hours a day. It has organized several levels of coordination as follows:

• Coordination between field and other NGOs
• Communication and coordination with ministries; rescue; emergencies
• Volunteer coordinator
• Data coordination

The committee is working on securing housing for IDPs in schools and other public facilities, moving refugees, surveying needs/number of people, and providing basic supplies based on data gathered.

Areas covered

• Verdun
• Zeideiniyeh
• Mseitbeh
• Ras el Nab'e

In these 4 areas, there is an estimate of 7,000 refugees now housed in 22 schools.

Four additional schools have been filled up in Tareek Jdeedeh, Ashrafieh, and Sin el Fil.

In total, the Relief Center is responsible for 22 schools and is stretched very thin in terms of human resources. Schools in the eastern part of the city are being transferred to organizations based there.

There is currently an estimate of 30,000 - 40,000 (and increasing) refugees in the city of Beirut who are being housed in at least 70 schools. They are being taken care of by the Collective of Lebanese NGOs, the Islamic Health Association as well as various key political parties such as the National Patriotic Movement, Future Movement, Amal Movement, etc.

In addition, hundreds of families have sought refuge with and are being looked after by friends and relatives.

Areas outside Beirut

Yesterday, schools in Akkar, Hermel, and Mount Lebanon have started receiving people. Until yesterday, only schools in Beirut had opened to receive refugees. To be noted that the Minister of Education has given instructions to open and make all public schools available to host IDPs.

CRTD.A 's Call for Action

As the Israeli brutal aggression is expected to escalate and continues to escalate at the time of writing this statement, and given the over- militarization of the Israeli army and the silence of the international community, we count on the solidarity of our sisters and brothers worldwide to condemn this on-going criminal aggression against civilians in Lebanon and to act for the following:

• Put an end to the Israeli military operation in Lebanon and current cycle of violence which is targeting civilians and infrastructure
• Lifting the current the siege and ending the collective punishment of the population of Lebanon
• Provide emergency relief assistance to the population
• Seek peaceful solutions through meaningful, just, fair and balanced negotiations so that the problems in Lebanon and the region are resolved and true peace restored based on all international resolutions and on justice for all the people of the region

Priority and immediate material needs

In the current situation, people housed in schools and other public facilities require basic supplies such as sanitary pads, mattresses, blankets for women, food, cleaning material, drinking water, matches, and medicines for children, milk, and diapers.

During the first days of the relief response, the government prepared kits for refugees, but these have quickly run out, and yesterday, the government was unable to provide anything more. The government is facing difficulties in trying to get the supplies and needs together (there are several problems related to transportation, disruption, lack of coordination, etc). The Ministries are slow to respond because they are under shock and suffer from weak internal structures.

Immediate needs of Zicco Relief Center:

Supplies currently available:

So far, the Zicco Relief Centre has managed to secure some basic medical supplies and mattresses for Beirut from individual donations and contacts.

Running water and electricity are currently available in most schools. However, water supply may run short if the Israeli proceed with destroying the electricity supply as they have threatened to do so this morning.

The government has indicated that it will supply mattresses, essential food rations and medicines. The extent to which the government will be able to do so and for how long remains to be seen.

Supplies needed:

Schools are cramped and overloaded. There is a dire need to concentrate on making the environment more hygienic and meeting women and children's needs.

Each school needs to receive substantial amounts of the following:

• Sanitary pads
• Diapers for children
• Diapers for adults
• Soap
• Detergents, disinfectants and cleaning material
• Matches
• Candles
• Tissues/ toilet paper
• Large garbage bins
• Mops/buckets
• Talcum powder
• Skin creams for allergies and rashes
• Non available basic food supplies
• Drinking water

Strategy for Zicco Relief Center:

• Continue to cater to 22 schools which are now housing over 7,000 individuals.
• Coordinate with Ministry of Social Affairs and the High Commission of Refugees to secure basic supplies
• Link up with YMCA for chronic medicines
• Concentrate on needs of women, children and the environment of the IDP centers
• Provide drinking water

CRTD.A is aiming to provide immediate relief assistance to 1000 households located in the IDP centres in Beirut. The assistance will be handled by women and directed at women headed households.

Your donation of $62.50 will provide one woman-headed household with basic necessities-- such as drinking water, diapers, soap and sanitary pads- which are not included in relief kits and assistance being provided by the Lebanese High Commission for Relief, Ministry of Social Affairs, and Ministry of Public Health. CRTD-A needs $62,500 to help 1,000 female-headed households.

Bank Information

Organization: Centre for Research and Training on Development-Action

Account Number: 230199 044 02

Bank: Audi Bank

Bank Address: Sodeco Branch, Sodeco, Beirut, Lebanon

Bank's SWIFT Code: AUDBLBBX

For further inquiries, messages of support or to send donations please contact:
Lina Abou-Habib, Director
CRTD.A
POB 165302
Achrafieh 1100 2030
Beirut - Lebanon
fax + 961-1-611079 or 612924
labouhabib@crtd.org
www.crtd.org

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