DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal: Help save lives

Millions of people across Gaza, Lebanon, and the wider region are facing a humanitarian catastrophe. In the wake of ongoing conflict, families are being torn apart, and communities are struggling to survive without access to food, shelter, or medical care.

Aid agencies including CARE are responding right now to the crisis and providing life-saving support. More funds are urgently needed to meet the huge levels of need. Today the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launches the Middle East Humanitarian Appeal, with CARE International UK and the 14 other leading aid agencies that make up the DEC.

Conflict across the Middle East is devastating lives. Across Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond, millions of people have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. The need for shelter, food, and basic supplies has never been more urgent.

Image: Buildings reduced to rubble in Khan Younis, Gaza © CARE

In Gaza, the situation is dire. Over 42,000 people have been killed and 90% of the population has been displaced. 2 million people - almost the entire population - are facing acute food insecurity as food supplies are severely depleted.

People are dying of hunger, disease, and untreated injuries. Access to clean water is virtually non-existent. The healthcare system is in collapse-few hospitals remain operational, and medical supplies are desperately scarce. The impact of daily conflict, displacement, and hunger is taking an unimaginable toll on children and families.

In Lebanon, over one million people have been displaced in recent weeks, overwhelming shelters and hospitals that are already struggling to meet the needs of the injured and vulnerable. Many people are forced to sleep outside in dangerous conditions, with no access to basic necessities.

In the West Bank, ongoing violence has caused damage to vital water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure caused by ongoing violence. Many families displaced from their homes. As of April 2024, 18,000 children were estimated to be malnourished.

In Syria, the conflict is exacerbating an already dire situation. Over 250,000 people have crossed the border from Lebanon in search of safety, joining millions of others who were already displaced and in urgent need of food and shelter.

How aid agencies are responding

Image: CARE staff unload emergency relief supplies in Lebanon © Paul Assaker/CARE

DEC member charities, including CARE International UK, are working around the clock to provide life-saving aid in Gaza, Lebanon and the wider region. Teams on the ground are distributing food, clean water, emergency shelter, and medical care. However, the scale of the crisis means that much more support is needed.

Maya Andari, Director of Programme Quality for CARE in Lebanon, said:

The most urgent needs

• Food and clean water: To fight widespread hunger and malnutrition.
• Medical care: Hospitals and clinics need urgent supplies to treat the sick and injured.
• Emergency shelter: Displaced families need safe spaces to stay.
• Sanitation and hygiene: To prevent the spread of diseases in overcrowded areas.
• Protection and trauma counselling: Support for children and families dealing with trauma from displacement and conflict.

How you can help

Please join thousands of people in the UK who are determined to help protect communities from this horrific conflict, and donate to the DEC appeal today.

• £10 could provide blankets for two people to keep them warm.
• £50 could provide emergency food for five families for one week.
• £300 could provide emergency shelter for 15 families.

CARE International UK is raising money together with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) for the Middle East Humanitarian Appeal. The DEC is a consortium of 15 aid agencies working together in times of disasters and emergencies