Key Takeaways:
- Intensified Israeli strikes across Lebanon have killed more than 3,000 people, injured many thousands more, and displaced over 870,000 individuals. The strikes have mainly targeted Shia-majority areas, damaging thousands of homes, commercial buildings, and critical infrastructure. Israel is also attempting to establish a buffer zone along the border, where they have razed or demolished dozens of Lebanese villages and towns. Efforts to secure a ceasefire remain stalled despite US and international attempts at brokering an accord.
- Caretaker Minister of Public Health Firass Abiad announced that Lebanon has a sufficient supply of medication – including for chronic and cancer-related illnesses – to last for the next four to five months. The ministry has distributed 2.1 million boxes of medication to primary healthcare centers. To avert a potential cholera outbreak, the ministry has also launched a vaccination campaign; to date, some 360,000 individuals have been vaccinated.
- Losses suffered by the public water and energy sectors since October 2023 have been estimated at 480 million US dollars (USD). The energy sector alone has incurred over USD 320 million in losses, primarily due to increased demand from displaced persons, infrastructure damage, and revenue losses. The water sector incurred approximately USD 160 million in losses.
- The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has implemented a two-shift system in public schools and mandated that remote learning options be provided to mitigate severe disruptions to the school year, which officially began on November 4. Over 500,000 primary and secondary school students and 90,000 university students have been displaced since October 2023. More than 45,000 teachers are unable to work, and many schools and universities are being used as shelters.
- The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed Lebanon on its grey list on October 25. Henceforth, the country’s financial sector and its activities will be under enhanced scrutiny pending substantial fiscal and monetary reform. In addition to presenting administrative challenges to humanitarian actors, this decision will affect several economic sectors, trade and services foremost among them.
By Crisis Analytics Team, Mercy Corps Lebanon
