The Flemish Red Cross is collaborating with the German Red Cross to provide emergency aid to Lebanon, releasing €150,000 to deliver supplies including thermal blankets, tents, and hygiene kits as quickly as possible.
Since 2 March, nearly 800 people, including 103 children, have lost their lives in Lebanon, with around 2,000 injured and over 800,000 displaced. Hospitals are under immense pressure, and thousands require medical care, shelter, and psychological support.
To address urgent needs, the Flemish Red Cross has allocated €150,000 from its emergency fund to supply essential items such as dozens of tents, thousands of hygiene kits and thermal blankets, as well as hundreds of water jerrycans and basic cooking sets.
“The Flemish Red Cross is deeply concerned about the mounting pressure on civilian safety in the region, as they continue to bear the brunt of the violence,” the organisation stated in a press release. It reiterated the vital importance of protecting aid workers, who should not be targeted. “Their safety is essential for humanitarian assistance to continue.”
Anke Bert, a Red Cross aid worker currently in Lebanon, described the situation as particularly dire. “Recently, a volunteer from the Lebanese Red Cross lost their life during a rescue operation in the south of the country. Several colleagues have already been injured. The needs here are overwhelming and only increasing,” she said.
The humanitarian needs in the affected Middle Eastern regions exceed what can be provided through the emergency fund. “This is the second time we’ve been able to deliver emergency supplies to the Lebanese Red Cross, but other Red Cross partners in the region are also asking for support,” said Vincent Verbeecke, spokesperson for the Flemish Red Cross.
Donations to support the organisation can be made via bank account number BE53 0000 0000 5353 with the reference “Conflict Middle East.”
