EU delivers 45 tonnes of aid to Lebanon, as Iraq and Egypt agree to help amid conflict

Several nations are ramping up efforts to provide much-needed aid for Lebanon, as the country experiences relentless Israeli bombardment across the country, causing mass casualties and displacement.

The European Union said on Tuesday it has delivered 45 metric tonnes of emergency supplies to support 90,000 people who have been impacted by the Israeli assault, now into its tenth day, which includes food, medical kits, shelter materials, recreation kits, and winter clothing.

The EU said the supplies have been delivered through a partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, who will in turn hand over the relief to the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), before it is distributed to shelters and response centres.

At least 570 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israel's assault on the country, with villages and towns in the south, east, and several Beirut suburbs particularly hard hit, forcing around 780,000 people to flee their homes.

"Today’s humanitarian air bridge marks the first flight to Lebanon to support people affected by the conflict. In this challenging context, and building on our ongoing assistance, we are further strengthening our humanitarian support in Lebanon," said Sandra De Waele, the EU Ambassador to Lebanon.

"There are already too many civilian casualties, including many women and children. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be spared."

France, an ally of Lebanon, has also pledged to deliver at least 60 tonnes of aid to the conflict-hit country on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.

"And what we have decided is to triple the volume of aid that will arrive this week. This aid will reach ... 60 tonnes of humanitarian aid for the Lebanese, including sanitation kits, hygiene kits, mattresses, lamps, and also a mobile medical post," he told the TF1 broadcaster.

Earlier this week, Barrot announced that France has allocated €6 million ($6.9 million) in emergency assistance to humanitarian organisations already operating on the ground in Lebanon.

Egypt, Iraq lend hand to Lebanon

Two other allies of Lebanon in the region, Egypt and Iraq, are also mobilising aid for the country.

​The Lebanese Ministry of Health said that Iraq donated five fully equipped ambulances to the country’s civil defence service.

Rakan Nasser El-Din, the Minister of Public Health, said the initiative "comes within the framework of ongoing coordination with our brothers in Iraq and aims to enhance the readiness of the Lebanese ambulance sector under the current circumstances".

"These ambulances will be a valuable addition to the Civil Defense fleet, contributing to faster field response times and saving lives across Lebanon's governorates."

In a phone call with Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday, Egypt's Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi signalled Cairo’s "readiness" to send relief to the country.