Femena expresses deep concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, as civilians continue to bear the brunt of Israel’s most recent military campaign. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), Israel has launched more than 1,840 attacks on Lebanon since the conflict began in early March 2026. As of April 7, at least 1,530 people have been killed and 4,812 wounded, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Notably, Lebanon was excluded from the temporary two-week ceasefire announced yesterday between the United States and Iran, leaving civilians exposed to ongoing violence and devastating consequences. Today, the Israeli military carried out its largest coordinated strikes on what it claimed were Hezbollah targets across Lebanon since the beginning of the war with Iran.
Mass displacement is reaching unprecedented levels across the country, amounting to one of the world’s fastest-growing and most severe displacement crises. Over 1.1 million people have been forced to leave their homes, including 620,000 displaced women and girls—nearly a quarter of Lebanon’s female population. Many are living in overcrowded collective shelters, where conditions are rapidly deteriorating, and basic protection measures are largely absent.
UNFPA’s latest Lebanon situation report states that around 325,500 displaced women of reproductive age, including approximately 13,500 pregnant women, with 1,500 expected to give birth within a month. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by forced displacement, facing heightened risks of sexual and gender-based violence, including exploitation and abuse, exacerbated by overcrowding, lack of privacy, and inadequate access to safe sanitation facilities. The absence of gender-segregated sanitation and adequate lighting in many displacement sites further heightens safety risks. Pregnant women and those of reproductive age are particularly vulnerable, with thousands in urgent need of maternal and healthcare services.
At the same time, the World Health Organization has reported that since 2 March 2026, there have been 92 attacks on healthcare in Lebanon, resulting in 53 deaths and 137 injuries. These attacks are further undermining an already strained health system, restricting access to life-saving care and placing both patients and medical workers at risk. At the same time, there are intensifying sectarian tensions within Lebanon, and rising mistrust between communities is hindering access to shelter and services, increasing insecurity, and eroding the country’s already fragile social fabric.
Femena stresses that a ceasefire that excludes Lebanon cannot be considered meaningful, as civilians there continue to face sustained Israeli military operations and the continued presence of Israeli forces on Lebanese territory. We call for an immediate and inclusive cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, without exception, and for Israel’s full withdrawal from Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and repeated UN calls to end ongoing violations. This must include an end to attacks on civilian infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, which have been repeatedly struck, as well as guarantees of safe, unimpeded humanitarian access. Furthermore, we demand that perpetrators of violations of international humanitarian law be held accountable and that justice be served to victims and their families. Without a comprehensive and sustained ceasefire, current efforts risk legitimizing continued violence against civilians, and further undermining prospects for stability, protection, and justice across the region.