Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has confirmed Cairo’s readiness to send humanitarian relief to Lebanon, as the country faces its worst displacement crisis in years. The pledge came during a phone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday, March 10, while nearly 700,000 people across Lebanon scramble for safety.
But behind this diplomatic call lies a much bigger story of regional turmoil, broken ceasefires and millions of lives hanging in the balance.
What Sisi Told Aoun During the Call
President El-Sisi held a telephone call on Tuesday with his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun. During the call, El-Sisi affirmed Egypt’s full support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, stability, and territorial integrity. He emphasized Cairo’s backing of the Lebanese state’s efforts to extend the authority of national institutions throughout all Lebanese territory.
El-Sisi expressed Egypt’s solidarity with Lebanon in facing current circumstances, emphasizing Cairo’s readiness to provide the necessary relief aid to address the consequences of the displacement crisis resulting from military operations.
President Aoun briefed El-Sisi on the Lebanese state’s efforts to consolidate weapons and strengthen state authority, in addition to the humanitarian challenges resulting from the ongoing war. Aoun also expressed appreciation for Egypt’s consistent stance, calling it a reflection of the deep historic ties between the two nations and their peoples.
Why Lebanon Desperately Needs Help Right Now
The scale of suffering in Lebanon is staggering. Here is a quick look at the numbers:
- More than 667,000 people in Lebanon have registered on the government’s online displacement platform, an increase of over 100,000 in just one day.
- Nearly 700,000 people including around 200,000 children have been forced from their homes.
- 294 people have been killed in Lebanon and more than 1,000 injured in the first eight days of the war.
- Lebanese authorities had opened a total of 399 shelters across the country, with the majority being public schools. Of these, 357 shelters were already reported to be at full capacity.
- More than 4.1 million people, over 70% of Lebanon’s population, were already in need of humanitarian assistance before the March 2026 attacks.
At the beginning of March 2026, Israel and Hezbollah began to exchange airstrikes again, breaking a tenuous ceasefire agreement that had been in place since November 2024. As a result, Lebanon is experiencing a significant increase in cross-border hostilities, primarily affecting the South, Beirut’s southern suburbs, and the Beqaa Valley.
Families have fled their homes and are sleeping outside or in their cars, with official shelters at full capacity.
How the Crisis Started and Escalated
Hostilities escalated in the night of 1 to 2 March, when Hezbollah launched missiles and drones toward northern Israel, marking its first major operation since the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement of November 2024. On 2 March, Israeli forces initiated a widespread aerial campaign, conducting intense airstrikes across South Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut. On 1 March, the day after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hezbollah fired projectiles at Israel, stating that the action was taken in response to Khamenei’s assassination. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that the launch of projectiles toward Israel was an “irresponsible” act endangering Lebanon’s safety and security.President Aoun also said the rockets fired from Lebanon toward Israel on March 2 were a “trap” set for Lebanon, warning that the incident appeared designed to draw the country into a broader confrontation.Aoun lamented the impact of Israel’s retaliation against Hezbollah, stating that more than 600,000 Lebanese citizens have been displaced. He has since called for direct negotiations with Israel under international sponsorship, along with logistical support for the Lebanese Armed Forces to disarm Hezbollah.
Egypt’s Growing Diplomatic Role in the Region
This phone call was not a one-off gesture. Egypt has been building momentum on the Lebanon front for months.
Egypt hosted the preparatory meeting of the International Conference in Support of the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces in Cairo on February 24, as part of international efforts to strengthen the foundations of the Lebanese state. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Cairo was closely monitoring what he described as a dangerous military escalation in the region. During a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Abdelatty stressed the importance of shielding Lebanon from further deterioration and called for an immediate halt to Israeli military operations. Egypt’s Foreign Minister affirmed Egypt’s commitment to continuing its tireless efforts to support Lebanese state institutions and extend their authority over all Lebanese national territory. He also emphasized Egypt’s commitment to mobilizing the necessary support to alleviate suffering, while simultaneously intensifying diplomatic efforts to halt the current escalation.
Beyond diplomacy, on 30 December 2025, Egypt and Lebanon signed a deal under which Lebanon will purchase natural gas from Egypt. The agreement is expected to help Lebanon meet its growing electricity needs. During recent high-level meetings, Egypt and Lebanon also signed 15 new memoranda of understanding, covering energy, IT, health, agriculture, and transport.
Egypt’s approach is clear: combine humanitarian aid with long-term economic support to help Lebanon stand on its own feet.
The World Responds, But Is It Enough?
Egypt is not alone in stepping up. The EU has mobilised emergency humanitarian aid consisting of food and medical kits, shelter materials, recreation kits and winter clothing kits to meet the urgent, rising humanitarian needs in Lebanon. The WFP will deliver 404 metric tonnes of food assistance to more than 90,000 people.
MSF medical teams in Lebanon are scaling up activities to respond to the growing humanitarian needs. “Our teams are responding, but the needs are immense,” said Jeremy Ristord, MSF’s head of programs in Lebanon.
But funding remains a major concern. Even before this escalation in violence, Lebanon’s humanitarian response was catastrophically underfunded. Last year’s Humanitarian Response Plan received only a third of the funding it required. UNHCR’s operation in Lebanon is currently only 14 per cent funded.
| Aid Effort | Details |
|---|---|
| Egypt | Relief aid pledge, energy deal, 15 cooperation agreements |
| EU | Food, medical kits, shelter materials via WFP and UNICEF |
| MSF | Mobile clinics, emergency medical care across Lebanon |
| UNRWA | Emergency shelters, food distribution, psychosocial support |
| UNHCR | Border support, displacement tracking, relief distribution |
The question now is whether the world can keep up with the speed of this crisis.
As families in southern Lebanon, Beirut and the Bekaa Valley face another night of uncertainty, Egypt’s pledge of relief is a welcome signal of solidarity. But for the hundreds of thousands sleeping in overcrowded schools, on sidewalks or inside packed cars, words and pledges must translate into action fast.UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that “the situation could spiral beyond anyone’s control” and urged, “It is time to stop the fighting and get to serious diplomatic negotiations.” Lebanon has suffered enough. The time for the world to act is now, not tomorrow.
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