17/10/2024

International Rescue Committee warns of catastrophic conditions for Syrians and Lebanese fleeing escalating conflict

NEW YORK — As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies in Lebanon, International Rescue Committee (IRC) has raised alarms about the dire conditions facing Syrians and Lebanese fleeing conflict. Many of those displaced by the fighting in the region are seeking refuge in regions already devastated by years of conflict.

Tanya Evans, Director of the IRC in Syria, reported that Syrian families are being forced to pay exorbitant amounts of money to reach safer destinations. Many of the newly displaced are women and children, with more than 60% of them being children, and over half women and young girls, making them particularly vulnerable.

Evans further explained that numerous displaced individuals have traveled north, seeking to reunite with relatives or find shelter in familiar areas. However, these regions are already struggling to cope with the influx of people due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

She noted that only a quarter of this year’s humanitarian response plan for Syria has been funded, while the needs across the country have reached unprecedented levels. Evans urged the international community to act swiftly to increase support for both the newly displaced families and the already overwhelmed host communities.