Israel war pushes nearly a quarter of Lebanon toward hunger – UN

Nearly a quarter of the population in Lebanon is expected to face acute hunger in the coming months as a result of the recent conflict between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah, according to new forecasts released by United Nations agencies and the Lebanese government as stated in a report published by The National on 29 April.

The report estimates that more than 1.2 million people will experience severe food insecurity between April and August. These individuals are classified in the “crisis” level of hunger, the third stage on a five-level scale developed by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. At this level, people may suffer from acute malnutrition or take emergency actions to avoid starvation, such as skipping meals or reducing the quality and quantity of food consumed.

Officials explained that the situation has worsened significantly compared with previous months. Between November and March, about 874,000 people, or 17 percent of the population, were already experiencing crisis-level food insecurity. Experts now warn that continued conflict, displacement, and rising living costs are pushing more families into hardship.

Humanitarian organisations emphasised that the country’s fragile economy and ongoing violence have reversed earlier progress in reducing hunger. One representative from the World Food Programme stated that families who had previously managed to cope are now struggling again as prices increase and income opportunities decline.

Agricultural production has also been heavily affected by fighting, particularly in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, which are among the country’s most important farming areas. Israeli military operations and displacement orders have forced more than one million people to leave their homes, disrupting food supply systems and reducing access to farmland.

The report concludes that Lebanon’s food security situation remains highly fragile. Without additional humanitarian assistance and improved security conditions, experts warn that hunger levels could continue to rise in the months ahead.

The National, Maghrebi.org