On July 28, Refugees International (RI) is conducting a mission to Syria, the Syrian-Lebanese border and Lebanon to evaluate the humanitarian response to the people displaced by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and to assess efforts to protect civilians.

Since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah on July 12th, the humanitarian situation has continued to deteriorate. Bombed roads in the south of Lebanon are blocking humanitarian access and over 20 percent of the population is now displaced. RI is particularly concerned about the safety of the civilian populations of southern Lebanon who are trapped as a result of the destruction of the civilian infrastructure. About 125,000 people are living in schools, parks and other public areas that do not offer adequate shelter or hygiene and are short on emergency supplies. The UN has stated that it is virtually impossible to get much needed food and medical supplies into many of the isolated villages in the South.

An estimated 160,000 refugees have already sought safety in Syria, with thousands more entering every day. With an estimated half million Iraqi refugees already in Syria, Refugees International fears that the continued influx of Lebanese refugees into Syria could strain the resources of the Syrian government and the UN. RI is also concerned about the fate of vulnerable groups, including Palestinian and Iraqi refugees, as well as migrant workers.

Advocates Sarah Martin and Kristele Younes arrived in the region on July 28 and will return on approximately August 21, 2006. During the mission, they will examine how the international aid agencies and the governments of Lebanon and Syria are able to meet the needs of refugees in Syria, the internally displaced in Lebanon, and other vulnerable groups. RI will assess UN and humanitarian agencies’ efforts to protect and assist displaced people and identify any challenges the agencies face. In addition, RI will also examine the level of coordination within the international response.