From loss to purpose: Humanitarians in one of Lebanon’s deadliest chapters
The conflict in Lebanon, which began on 8 October 2023, took a devastating turn as it escalated between September and November 2024, marking the darkest and most destructive period since the 2006 war – leaving no life untouched and no home unscarred.
Entire areas were emptied as relentless Israeli bombardments and sweeping displacement orders forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee overnight. More than 1.2 million people – including humanitarians – were uprooted in South Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, leaving behind lives, homes, and communities.
For humanitarians, September 2024 became a turning point, one etched in pain and courage. Despite being among the affected, they helped people in need. Some were killed alongside their families. Others were forced to leave their homes, haunted by fear and grief, mourning colleagues, friends, and loved ones.
Brothers lost; homes shattered
For Dana, an aid worker with Save the Children, the tragedy struck at the heart of her family. Her brother Hamed was killed when an Israeli airstrike destroyed their family home in Tyre, South Lebanon. The 28-year-old’s death was devastating, compounded by the injury of another brother and the destruction of their cherished home.
“Losing my brother feels like a part of my heart has been torn away. The pain of his absence is matched only by the anguish of losing our home, our sanctuary.”
When we followed up with Dana to check on her safety after the cessation of hostilities, she shared yet another heartbreaking loss: she had lost another brother just days before the cessation was declared.
Every day, there was more devastating news
Farah, Dana’s colleague, also dealt with heartbreaking loss. An airstrike decimated her home in Beirut’s southern suburbs, weeks after she was forced to flee with her family. This was followed by the loss of her 19-year-old cousin, killed by another Israeli air strike in the south.
"Every day there was more devastating news – another house bombed, another family member killed. It felt like an unlocked memory I couldn’t escape," said Farah.
Jalal, who works with World Vision, faced the terrifying aftermath of an airstrike 10 metres from his home in Jib Janine, West Bekaa. Fearing the worst for his mother, who was outside at the time, Jalal recalled:
“I rushed out like crazy, only to find ambulances everywhere and people running in all directions. Those 15 minutes searching for her were the hardest of my life.”
Fortunately, she was found alive.
Defying the fear
In these moments of fear, the sudden life-altering displacement became a shared experience for these humanitarian workers. The road to safety was filled with tension, anxiety, and exhaustion as they navigated disrupted transportation, endless traffic, and the threat of ongoing attacks.
Wedyan’s peaceful morning in Ghazieh, South Lebanon, turned into a nightmare when missiles hit nearby villages. Fearing for her and her children’s safety, Wedyan, who works with local non-governmental organization Amel Association, immediately fled, leaving everything behind. The roads were packed with thousands of others fleeing, turning a short drive into a gruelling hours-long ordeal.
"For three days after reaching safety in Chouf, Mount Lebanon, I struggled with trauma. I cried whenever I had a moment alone," she confessed.
Zeinab, a humanitarian worker with International Medical Corps, was preparing to flee Tyre towards Beirut when a distressed call from a close friend altered her plans. An airstrike had shattered her friend’s car windows while she was escaping and left her 16-year-old son severely wounded. Despite the heavy bombing and the packed roads, a panic-stricken Zeinab rushed to her friend’s aid.
“I will never forget the fear we experienced while waiting at the hospital, feeling unsafe due to the constant bombing, and yet unable to leave,” she recalled.
Renewed sense of purpose
Amid such profound fear and grief, these humanitarian workers found ways to transform their personal tragedy and pain into purpose, redefining their roles in the face of hardship.
For Dana, the loss of her brother became a driving force to persevere. A few days after his death, she returned to her work as a humanitarian, channelling her grief into helping families who, like hers, had lost everything.
"I owe it to my brother to keep going... His memory is my drive to continue working."
Jalal’s need to find stability amid chaos was mirrored by his commitment to return to work. Farah and Wedyan also found solace in returning to their roles as fieldworkers, helping other displaced families cope with their losses.
Farah explained: "I couldn’t let the loss stop me from doing what I am meant to do—helping others, especially those who have lost just as much. I know that the people we serve depend on me."
During her displacement, Zainab chose to continue working from the central office in Beirut. Her commitment to humanitarian work remains unchanged.
“Through all the loss, I knew that I had to be there for others. My duty as a humanitarian has never felt more urgent, more important, even as I carry the emotional weight of these harrowing experiences."
Hope amid the rubble
Despite facing personal challenges, UN staff and humanitarian workers travelled across Lebanon to deliver emergency aid, providing clothes, hygiene kits, staple foods and mattresses to people in desperate need.
Throughout one year and two intense months, with limited funding and strained resources, the humanitarian community rose to the occasion, reaching more than 800,000 people with urgent assistance.
Hostilities ceased on 27 November, but Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis remains critical. Nearly 125,000 people remain displaced, as families wait for the day they can return, rebuild their homes, and reclaim a sense of normality. More than 60 villages in South Lebanon remain marked as unsafe for return by the Israeli army.
The destruction of civilian infrastructure has left many displaced families including aid workers unable to return home. They need shelter, essential services, and support to rebuild their lives. Addressing these needs is critical to their recovery. But despite these ongoing challenges, the humanitarian community remains committed to ensure that no one is left behind on the path to rebuilding and recovering, and to reclaiming dignity.
All names in the story have been changed.