More than one-fifth of the Lebanese population has fled their homes under urgent evacuation orders — at least 1.3 million people, and likely many more — while airstrikes destroy their homes and villages.
As Lebanon is the most Christian nation in the Arab Middle East, many of those affected are Christians — and people of all faiths are in dire need.
What is happening? And how can Christians around the world help?
What’s going on
While Lebanon isn’t getting as much press as Iran, the situation has become a major humanitarian crisis. Innocent people are caught up in this conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah paramilitary group — many of them our Christian brothers and sisters.
Already, more than 1,000 people have died in the attacks, including children, medical workers, members of the press, and a Catholic priest.
Some have found a place to stay — more than 300 schools have been converted into temporary shelters, and those with relatives in safer areas stay with them — but many people have nowhere to go. Cecilia Tresoldi of AVSI-USA told Aleteia:
Up to 2 million people are internally displaced, many of them forced to move repeatedly due to ongoing evacuation orders. For many, it feels like a manhunt. The fortunate have found space in overcrowded shelters, while countless others are living in cars, tents, on the streets, or under porches, often exposed to rain and harsh conditions.
Two big issues with future implications
Tresoldi, whose nonprofit organization is on the ground providing aid in Lebanon now, pointed out two of the biggest concerns — one is the effect of this crisis on Lebanon’s children:
This crisis is also an educational emergency. Children, Lebanon’s future generation, have not had consistent access to schooling for the past five years, and now many are once again cut off from learning. In overcrowded shelters, they often have nothing to do, adding to the psychological toll.
And the other is the unspoken but pressing reality that no one knows how long this crisis will last, straining the entire nation as those not displaced grapple to accommodate those who are:
One of the most pressing questions is whether people will be able to return home at all.
With over 1.3 million officially displaced, and likely many more, the challenge of providing long-term shelter and stability is immense.
At the same time, uncertainty remains over whether tensions can be de-escalated or risk spiraling into an even wider and more devastating conflict.
The situation is even more dire than many in the West realize, Tresoldi said:
The situation in Lebanon is extremely dramatic — far more severe than during the conflict that began in 2023.
What can we do to help?
Aleteia has reported on Caritas, CNEWA, and Aid to the Church in Need, three Vatican-linked organizations on the ground helping the Lebanese people.
AVSI is another nonprofit continuing to provide critical relief.
They have deep roots with this community, having served south Lebanon for more than 20 years. AVSI is distributing survival essentials, including:
- Blankets, mattresses, baby kits, and hygiene kits
- Drinking water
- Essential relief items, including medicine, wheelchairs, and crutches
- Warm clothing
AVSI is also working to improve shelter conditions by upgrading basic infrastructure such as bathrooms and sanitation systems — in buildings not designed for so many people to live in.
And they're offering recreational activities and psychosocial support to help children and their parents cope with and process the trauma of conflict and displacement.
“In the face of such overwhelming need, every gesture of solidarity matters,” Tresoldi said.
You can donate here to help AVSI’s crucial work.
And above all, pray for Lebanon, for safety and for peace, and for all who find their lives uprooted in this terrifying way yet again.
