We, the members of the Alliance for Empowering Partnership (A4EP), a collective voice of global Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and advocates of localization of humanitarian actions, stand in collective solidarity with the people of Lebanon as they face an escalating humanitarian crisis resulting from the war that has raged since 2023. This prolonged violence has inflicted profound suffering on innocent civilians, exacerbated by the international community’s alarming silence and inaction.
Outcry of Innocent Civilians
As the conflict continues, the human cost mounts exponentially. To date, over 1,640 people, including 104 children and 194 women, have lost their lives, with more than 8,408 injured; and the humanitarian toll is on the rise. The scale of destruction has forced more than a million people to flee their homes, both Lebanese citizens and refugees, including Palestinian and Syrian populations who were already enduring precarious conditions before this latest crisis. The reality of families seeking refuge in mosques, churches, and schools, living in overcrowded shelters, or being exposed to the elements reflects the gravity of the displacement, with over 1,000,000 Lebanese internally displaced and 100,000 refugees (Lebanese and Syrian refugees) forced into Syria.
Protection of Human Rights and IDPs
The principles of international humanitarian law must be upheld. The deliberate targeting of civilian areas, the widespread destruction of homes, and the siege and blockade tactics that have cut off essential supplies such as food, water, fuel, and medical aid are flagrant violations of these principles. The forced displacement of large numbers of civilians only compounds the crisis in Lebanon, which was already grappling with a political and economic crisis long before the war began.
We call for immediate, unhindered humanitarian access to all affected regions, ensuring that internally displaced persons (IDPs), including Palestinian and Syrian refugees, receive urgent shelter, food, medical care, and psychological support. The deliberate hindrance of relief efforts and obstruction of aid delivery by military threats must be condemned and lifted immediately and warn against the repetition of the Gaza scenario in which a blockade is enacted.
Call for Peace and a Ceasefire
We strongly condemn all acts of sovereignty breaches and violence and aggression against non-combatants and innocent civilians from all parties involved in this war. War, invasion, and aggression are not the solution. Dialogue, diplomacy, and respect for human rights are the only viable paths to achieving lasting peace in Lebanon and the broader region. We call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza, and a return to negotiations, prioritizing the protection of civilians, especially the most vulnerable.
Appeal to the International Community
We urge the international community to act now. Silence in the face of such atrocities is complicity. We call on world leaders to:
- Demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, and end to military aggressions and siege.
- Facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced populations to their homes.
- Provide adequate and flexible funding to address the humanitarian needs of Lebanese citizens and refugees.
- Support long-term peace-building efforts and ensure accountability for violations of international humanitarian law.
- Stop weaponising the warring parties and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
- Stop narratives and policies that actively support the aggressor since a year in Gaza, and now in Lebanon and uphold the universality of Human Rights.
The time to act is now. The people of Lebanon, including the Palestinian and Syrian refugees within its borders, deserve to live in peace, with their human rights and dignity respected and protected. The international community must not wait any longer to respond to this growing crisis. The cost of inaction will be more innocent lives lost.
Signed by the Alliance of Southern CSOs and global advocates for Peace and Human Rights
We will continue to amplify the voices of those silenced by violence, advocating for justice, peace, and protection for all those affected by this brutal conflict.
Twitter: @A4EP2
For more information: Email: [email protected]
