Belgium will send emergency aid to Lebanon following a request for international assistance from Lebanese authorities, the Foreign Affairs ministry announced on Friday.
The B-FAST emergency response team will deliver humanitarian supplies including hygiene kits, mattresses, blankets and other essential items, with the aid package valued at around €150,000.
The assistance comes as violence in the region continues to escalate, affecting civilian populations in southern and eastern Lebanon, which have been hit by bombardments.
According to the Belgian Foreign Affairs ministry, the conflict has already left more than 400 people dead, over 1,100 injured and around half a million displaced after a week of fighting.
Israel has been carrying out strikes in Lebanon since Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shiite movement, entered the regional conflict on 2 March by launching missiles towards Israel.
Lebanese authorities have identified urgent humanitarian needs among affected populations and have appealed to the international community for assistance, both through bilateral channels and via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).
"With this donation, we reaffirm our solidarity and the active commitment of B-FAST to international humanitarian assistance," the Foreign Affairs ministry said.
