Concern Worldwide responding across Middle East as crisis grows

In Gaza, Concern is supporting its Alliance2015 partner on the ground, CESVI. With Concern’s support over the last few months CESVI has supplied water trucking to almost 180,000 people in four locations, rehabilitated facilities across nine sites to provide safe drinking water and has worked to reinstate and protect water networks in areas of North Gaza.

“The generosity of the Irish people who have donated to our appeal so far has made it possible to provide these essential resources and items to the people of Gaza,” said David Regan, Chief Executive Officer with Concern.

“Almost the entire 2.1 million population of Gaza are in urgent need of medical assistance, food, water and sanitation. Half a million people are experiencing famine-like conditions. 50,000 children are acutely malnourished.”

Acute malnutrition is typically caused by not having enough to eat and is most common in children. It weakens the immune system, leaving children at high risk of dying from common childhood illnesses as well as from malnutrition itself.

Getting goods into Gaza – which is less than half the size of Ireland’s smallest county, Louth - has been incredibly difficult. 

Concern calls on all sides to the conflict to observe international humanitarian law and allow for the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid. 

In Lebanon, approximately one fifth of the population have fled their homes. Concern’s teams on the ground are assessing and rehabilitating 20 schools where displaced families have sought shelter.  

Psychological support is being offered to children in the aftermath of trauma that they have experienced because of bombings and forced displacement. 

Concern is also providing emergency cash assistance to families so they can purchase essential items after fleeing their homes with little or nothing. 

Lebanon is host to the largest number of refugees per capita in the world.

With winter fast approaching, when temperatures can be close to zero degrees Celsius, people who have had to abandon their homes are sleeping on floors, outside on streets, camping in parks with no bedding, food, water and shelter.   

“We are on the ground receiving and supporting as many families as we can in what are very challenging conditions.  This is one of the fastest forced displacements I have ever seen,” said Concern’s Lebanon Country Director, Sherzada Khan.

“We will soon be escalating our response with more distributions of essential goods; however, we need more funding to cope with the number of people in need of support. There are over 1.2 million people displaced – including some of our own staff and their families. 

We implore the parties to this conflict to ensure the protection of civilians, civilian infrastructure, and humanitarian workers.”

The Concern team in north-east Syria is providing psychosocial support to some of the almost 20,000 people who have crossed in recent days from Lebanon.  Concern also has stocks of ready-to-eat rations in place, as well as hygiene kits (including soap, detergent and sanitary pads) and emergency water trucking in north-east Syria and are ready to provide cash payments to those in need.

Concern has been working in both Lebanon and Syria since 2013. CESVI, its partner in Gaza, has been there since 2018.

“After more than a year of conflict, humanitarian organisations like Concern are working around the clock to meet the escalating needs of ordinary people across the region,” Mr Regan said. “We need more funding to enable us to reach as many people as possible in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.”

To support Concern and its partners in the region, visit concern.net 

For further information contact Eilis Staunton, Media Relations Officer, Concern Worldwide, at [email protected] or 085 872 0720.