Health Committee Reviews Displacement Situation; Minister Says Planning Next Phase Has Begun

The Public Health, Labor, and Social Affairs Committee convened a session chaired by MP Bilal Abdullah, attended by Social Affairs Minister Haneen Al-Sayed and other parliamentary members.

Following the meeting, Abdullah stated, "The Health Committee held a meeting today to discuss displacement conditions, response plans, and the reality faced by displaced families in host areas. The session included the presence of the Minister of Social Affairs, who has been managing this file since the first day of the war. We reviewed with her the overall steps taken by the government and specifically the Disaster Management Authority, coordinating with all relevant state parties, civil society, and the hosting environment."

He added, "At the beginning of the session, we heard from the Minister a detailed account of displacement conditions from day one, including numbers, the extent of destruction, needs if we may say so, and the limited aid that reached Lebanon through the first or second emergency calls. This aid has not matched the scale of destruction caused by the ongoing Israeli aggression. Unfortunately, it is clear that the government today is more present than in previous crises, directly engaging with this crisis through financial assistance as much as possible, with the participation of all concerned bodies such as the Red Cross, Civil Defense, the Southern Council, and the High Relief Commission. I believe everyone was present and able to contribute."

Abdullah continued, "There is naturally a disparity between the people's needs and the size of the crisis created and ongoing due to Israeli attacks. The Minister provided the fellow MPs with all the necessary details. Furthermore, she presented a plan for the next day if the ceasefire holds seriously and Israeli attacks on Lebanese citizens stop, outlining the steps the government would take. It is clear that she and the Prime Minister have ideas to continue managing this file while awaiting donor agencies."

He concluded, "In all cases, colleagues proposed numerous ideas, and the Minister, her team, and the attending institutions gave clear answers. Emphasis was placed on the necessity to remain vigilant regarding displacement because we will not rely on this ceasefire unless it is serious and final. Even the displaced families are cautious about returning. Therefore, we requested that the government study establishing alternative shelter centers, possibly in or near southern regions, which would be ready centers that had been proposed previously. We hope to revisit this proposal later."

Minister Al-Sayed commented, "We presented a report covering the past three months regarding what has occurred. The foundation of the response was government leadership, which is important to stand by the people and restore the trust of the Lebanese citizen in the state, which has been lost over past years. We also relied on full transparency in the response, which is a fundamental issue. The response was based on information from the field, which we disseminated through all means to explain all facts. Regarding funding, the aid that came to Lebanon represents one-third of the funding received during the recent war. We maintain ongoing communications with donor countries, all of whom emphasize support, and we have begun planning for the upcoming phase."