Ottawa, 16 March 2026 – Canada’s leading aid organizations – joining forces as the Humanitarian Coalition – are raising critical funds to rush life-saving assistance to people in need in Lebanon, Syria and across the wider region.
Since February 28, the escalating military violence in the Middle East has been
worsening and widening, with humanitarian needs rising rapidly:
- More than 2,000 people have been killed, and more than 20,000 people are
injured - Nearly 4 million people are internally displaced. In Lebanon alone, more than810,000 people, including 290,000 children, have been forced to flee their homes.
- Hostilities have affected 14 countries so far, destroying or damaging schools,
hospitals, health centres and energy infrastructure.
Humanitarian Coalition members are quickly scaling up their response by providing
food, safe water, emergency health services, temporary shelter, cash assistance,
nutrition and psychosocial support to families in Lebanon and Syria. Member
organizations are also monitoring and scaling up to respond to urgent needs in
Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Jordan, Türkiye and the West Bank.
The Humanitarian Coalition urges leaders to end the violence and seek a resolution that
upholds the rights, dignity and safety of all people. Action must be taken by all parties
to protect civilians, especially children and families
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Tiffany Baggetta, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Coalition, says: “We are
deeply alarmed by the escalating military violence that is shattering lives throughout the
region. Humanitarian needs are rising by the hour. We are urgently calling on the
generosity of Canadians to donate today to support life-saving humanitarian aid for
children and families caught in this conflict.”
The members of the Humanitarian Coalition are Action Against Hunger, Canadian
Foodgrains Bank, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, CARE Canada, Doctors of the
World Canada, Humanity & Inclusion Canada, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada,
Oxfam-Québec, Plan International Canada, Save the Children and World Vision
Canada.
Canadians can help rush emergency assistance to people affected by the Middle East
Emergency by donating at www.together.ca or by calling 1-855-461-2154.
About the Humanitarian Coalition
The Humanitarian Coalition brings together 12 leading aid organizations to provide
Canadians with a simple and effective way to help during major international
humanitarian emergencies. We make donating simple for Canadians by removing
competition for donations, increasing the awareness of needs and reducing the
duplication of costs, meaning more help for survivors.
For more information or to request an interview:
Houda Kerkadi
Media and Press Relations Specialist