By Michael Adams, CARE Country Director in Lebanon
April 16, 2026 – The announced ceasefire agreement brings much-needed relief to people across Lebanon after a month and a half of intense and deadly bombardment. However, uncertainty and fear persist. The ten days ceasefire appears fragile, amid continued and inflammatory threats by parties to the conflict to carry out large-scale attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as other violations of international law. However, a temporary pause in violence is not enough. What is urgently needed is a permanent ceasefire that ensures sustained protection for civilians and prevents further loss of life.
CARE urgently calls for sustained diplomatic engagement to secure a lasting peace, and for the full observance, in both word and deed, of legal and humanitarian obligations to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and across the region.
Today, the situation in Lebanon remains dire. Families traumatized by weeks of violence are still sleeping on the streets or in overcrowded public spaces, with limited access to basic services. Entire villages in southern Lebanon have been reduced to rubble, leaving thousands with nowhere to return. The broader humanitarian impact of this conflict will endure for months, if not years. The damage from the 2024 escalation remains visible, and repeated displacement has stripped many of any remaining capacity to recover. Communities that were already living in despair have now been pushed beyond what it means to be human.
Amid this devastation, displaced people continue to rely on humanitarian assistance for survival. “We are grateful for the meals and clean water we receive every day; it is what keeps our children going,” said a displaced mother sheltering in a public school. “But this is not a life. We just want to go home, to rebuild, and to live in peace.”
Another displaced man shared: “The support we are receiving is important, and we thank those who are helping us. But no amount of aid can replace our homes, our land, and our sense of belonging. We want to return, to feel safe again, and to live as human beings, not as displaced people.”
For some, the losses are immeasurable. One displaced woman, now living alone, described how she lost her son during the 2024 escalation, and her husband and second son in the latest escalation in 2026. “The food and water help me survive each day, and I am grateful,” she said. “But I have lost everything, my children, my husband, my home. I have no one left. What I want is not just to survive, but to return home and live what remains of my life with dignity.”
This moment of announced ceasefire must be seized to guarantee sustained and unhindered humanitarian access, significantly scale up both the volume and quality of funding, and ensure that diplomatic and recovery efforts are inclusive, particularly of women and the local organizations that serve and represent them.
International law and the UN Charter are not abstract principles; they are binding obligations. All parties to the conflict must uphold international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, civilian infrastructure, humanitarian personnel, and operations. Signatories to the Geneva Conventions have a clear duty to ensure compliance. Holding all parties accountable for violations will be essential to laying the foundations for a durable and just peace.
April 16, 2026 – The announced ceasefire agreement brings much-needed relief to people across Lebanon after a month and a half of intense and deadly bombardment. However, uncertainty and fear persist. The ten days ceasefire appears fragile, amid continued and inflammatory threats by parties to the conflict to carry out large-scale attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as other violations of international law. However, a temporary pause in violence is not enough. What is urgently needed is a permanent ceasefire that ensures sustained protection for civilians and prevents further loss of life.
CARE urgently calls for sustained diplomatic engagement to secure a lasting peace, and for the full observance, in both word and deed, of legal and humanitarian obligations to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and across the region.
Today, the situation in Lebanon remains dire. Families traumatized by weeks of violence are still sleeping on the streets or in overcrowded public spaces, with limited access to basic services. Entire villages in southern Lebanon have been reduced to rubble, leaving thousands with nowhere to return. The broader humanitarian impact of this conflict will endure for months, if not years. The damage from the 2024 escalation remains visible, and repeated displacement has stripped many of any remaining capacity to recover. Communities that were already living in despair have now been pushed beyond what it means to be human.
Amid this devastation, displaced people continue to rely on humanitarian assistance for survival. “We are grateful for the meals and clean water we receive every day; it is what keeps our children going,” said a displaced mother sheltering in a public school. “But this is not a life. We just want to go home, to rebuild, and to live in peace.”
Another displaced man shared: “The support we are receiving is important, and we thank those who are helping us. But no amount of aid can replace our homes, our land, and our sense of belonging. We want to return, to feel safe again, and to live as human beings, not as displaced people.”
For some, the losses are immeasurable. One displaced woman, now living alone, described how she lost her son during the 2024 escalation, and her husband and second son in the latest escalation in 2026. “The food and water help me survive each day, and I am grateful,” she said. “But I have lost everything, my children, my husband, my home. I have no one left. What I want is not just to survive, but to return home and live what remains of my life with dignity.”
This moment of announced ceasefire must be seized to guarantee sustained and unhindered humanitarian access, significantly scale up both the volume and quality of funding, and ensure that diplomatic and recovery efforts are inclusive, particularly of women and the local organizations that serve and represent them.
International law and the UN Charter are not abstract principles; they are binding obligations. All parties to the conflict must uphold international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, civilian infrastructure, humanitarian personnel, and operations. Signatories to the Geneva Conventions have a clear duty to ensure compliance. Holding all parties accountable for violations will be essential to laying the foundations for a durable and just peace.