In Lebanon, intensified Israeli airstrikes since March 2026 have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced over one million, many of them women and children now sheltering in overcrowded schools, public buildings, or informal spaces with limited water and sanitation. Years of economic crisis mean many families were already struggling to afford food, healthcare, and electricity. Today, nearly 900,000 people are facing crisis or emergency levels of hunger, a figure expected to rise as humanitarian funding falls short of growing needs.

In Gaza, the humanitarian crisis remains catastrophic. Despite a fragile ceasefire, the majority of families are displaced and surviving on aid. More than 72,000 people have been killed since October 2023, and essential services such as healthcare, water and waste systems have been systematically damaged. Access to clean water is extremely limited, forcing families to rely on trucked water while outbreaks of diarrhoeal and skin diseases spread in overcrowded shelters. Aid delivery continues to be constrained by border restrictions, fuel shortages and insecurity.

After more than a decade of war, Syria remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. More than 15 million people still need humanitarian support. Although some families have returned since late 2024, millions remain displaced, often to areas with disrupted services and limited livelihoods. Widespread poverty, damaged water and health infrastructure, and the ongoing threat of explosive remnants of war continue to put civilians at risk.

In Yemen, conflict, economic collapse and chronic underfunding have pushed the country to the brink. In 2026, an estimated 23 million people need humanitarian assistance, with over 18 million facing acute hunger and pockets of famine‑like conditions emerging. Damaged water systems and a weakened health sector have fuelled recurring cholera and measles outbreaks, while only around 60 per cent of health facilities remain fully functional.

Clean water becomes scarce in conflict because water systems are damaged, neglected, or deliberately cut off. Power outages and fuel shortages stop pumps from working, while sewage spills contaminate remaining supplies. Displacement then overwhelms whatever infrastructure is left. Without safe water and sanitation, preventable diseases such as cholera spread rapidly, especially among children.

Aid agencies are facing mounting obstacles: insecurity, access restrictions, damaged roads and ports, airspace closures, and spiraling fuel costs all slow or block the delivery of assistance. At the same time, humanitarian appeals across the region are critically underfunded, forcing painful cuts to life‑saving programs.

Oxfam is working across Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, Syria and neighbouring countries to support communities hardest hit by this crisis. Our responses focus on saving lives now, while strengthening dignity and resilience.

Oxfam provides clean water through water trucking, repairing and installing boreholes, water tanks, and solar‑powered pumping systems, alongside sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion to prevent disease.

Across the region, Oxfam and local partners are also delivering food assistance, emergency cash, hygiene and dignity kits, and supporting livelihoods where possible. In 2025 alone, Oxfam reached over five million people across the Middle East.

At the same time, Oxfam continues to call for the protection of civilians, unhindered humanitarian access, and respect for international humanitarian law.