MSF Boosts Emergency Operations in Southern Lebanon
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Since the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel first came into effect on 27 November, Israeli forces have continued to engage in military operations in southern Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands of people have returned to their homes and villages in southern Lebanon. Many of them saw their homes destroyed by the Israeli bombardment and remain displaced. Others are still unable to return home due to the continued Israeli military presence in their towns and villages. Both returning and displaced communities are facing significant challenges accessing medical care, due to damaged infrastructure, understaffed health facilities and the costs of medical treatment, which is unaffordable to many after they lost their livelihoods during the past months of war.
In response, international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has expanded its activities in southern Lebanon over the past 60 days, deploying three mobile medical teams to 11 towns in the Nabatieh governorate. This is in addition to two mobile medical teams which already visit towns in the South governorate. These teams are providing essential medical services to address critical healthcare gaps in some of the worst affected areas.
“Throughout the ceasefire since November, and still today, Israeli forces continue to open fire, carry out strikes, and demolish civilian infrastructure, causing daily devastation and civilian casualties in southern Lebanon."
The hardships of these communities are greatly aggravated; people are already struggling to cope with their losses and the impact of the war,” says Francois Zamparini, emergency coordinator for MSF in Lebanon.
Vulnerable communities, like refugees and migrant workers, face even greater challenges.
According to the Ministry of Public Health, 83 people have been killed and at least 228 others have been injured by Israeli forces in Lebanon since the announced ceasefire on the 27th of November 2024.
The scale of the destruction is massive. Towns have been reduced to rubble, with homes, schools, and farmlands wiped out,” says Zamparini.
Over 90,000 structures—including homes, businesses, agricultural facilities, schools, and water infrastructure—have been damaged or destroyed by the bombardment across the country, according to UNDP. “MSF is committed to supporting the people during this recovery period and ensuring that they are not left without essential medical care as they start to rebuild their lives.”
Our mobile medical teams—now 15 across the country- provide primary healthcare services, medications for chronic illnesses, health education, mental health support, and post-operative nursing care.
From the announcement of the ceasefire in November 2024 till January 15, 2025, our teams in southern Lebanon have provided over 19,000 general medical consultations, conducted 3,427 health awareness and education sessions, and supported over 3,000 individuals with mental health services—and this vital work continues. Patients with complicated medical conditions are referred to the Public Emergency Turkish Hospital in Saida city, where MSF is working in partnership with Ministry of Public Health to deliver free, high-quality trauma, emergency, and surgical care to all the communities in Lebanon.
Beyond healthcare, MSF is also addressing immediate humanitarian needs across the country. In the heavily bombarded Bint Jbeil district, the organization is donating essential relief items. We have already delivered 7,000 blankets, 4,000 mattresses, 5,820 hygiene kits, as well as 2,015 floor mats and other necessities to support the war-affected communities as they rebuild their lives. Our teams are also actively coordinating with several affected hospitals in the area to offer support, such as donation of fuel and 19,270 medical items, and training medical staff to deal with emergencies.
“Serious efforts must be made to ensure safety for the civilian population, healthcare facilities and staff,” says Zamparini. “Any escalation of violence or breaches of the ceasefire would further jeopardise the health and wellbeing of thousands of families in southern Lebanon who have already lost so much.”
About Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Lebanon
MSF is an independent international medical humanitarian organisation that provides aid and free healthcare to people in need, without discrimination. MSF first began to work in Lebanon in 1976, and its teams have worked in the country without interruption since 2008.
In 2024, with the intensification of Israeli bombardment and ground incursions, MSF scaled up its support across the country, deploying 22 mobile medical units to shelters and heavily war-affected areas such as Beirut, Baalbek-Hermel, and southern Lebanon. Alongside providing trauma care, MSF supported local hospitals by delivering training for mass casualty response and supplying thousands of tons of medical and relief materials to enhance their capacity.