Femena strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, which have had devastating consequences for civilians. Israel carried out large-scale airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut only hours after ordering more than 500,000 residents to evacuate the area immediately. The Israeli military instructed civilians to leave their homes to protect their lives, triggering widespread panic and a mass exodus from parts of the Lebanese capital.
Videos from Thursday evening showed heavy smoke rising over the Dahiya district. Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said the attacks would make the Beirut suburb resemble Khan Younis, an area of southern Gaza that has been largely devastated by Israeli bombardment.
The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health has reported that at least 217 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon this week. Meanwhile, the UN estimates that nearly 100,000 people have been forced to flee their homes following intensive airstrikes and evacuation orders.
Displaced families are urgently searching for temporary shelter. Some have taken refuge in schools open by the government, while others are staying with extended family members or in informal arrangements. However, many people still have nowhere to go and remain sleeping in their cars or on the streets.
Women and girls face particular risks during displacement. Overcrowded shelters heighten the threat of harassment, exploitation, and gender-based violence. At the same time, many families are struggling to meet basic needs, as rising prices make it increasingly difficult to afford food, healthcare, and safe shelter.
Many of those displaced are women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and many have fled with newborns, babies, and young children. They urgently need safe spaces to stay and care for their families. There is also a significant need for hygiene and dignity kits for women and girls, including essential items such as menstrual products.
Femena calls for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israelis forces from southern Lebanon in accordance with international humanitarian law. We stress that the international community ensure the protection of civilians and significantly increase humanitarian assistance to those affected by the violence. More specifically, Femena urges donors and humanitarian actors to provide sustained and flexible support to women-led and feminist organizations on the ground, which are often the first responders supporting displaced women, girls, and families.