Prime Minister Nawaf Salam during an interview with L'Orient-Le Jour at the Grand Serail, on Sept. 14, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/ L'Orient Today)
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held a meeting Saturday at the Grand Serail, assuring that “the government will not accept that any individual or family remains without shelter, and work is underway to provide dignified accommodation for all.”
The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar, several other ministers and regional governors. It focused on assessing regional needs, coordinating government efforts to address the impact of the latest waves of displacement, and responding quickly and effectively to emerging challenges, according to a statement released afterward.
Education Minister Rima Karameh said schools could be opened as shelters if needed, at the discretion of governors. She noted that the number of centers already opened exceeds current needs in some areas to accommodate displaced people.
In Beirut, the Sports City complex will begin receiving displaced people later in the day, the statement said.
Authorities also confirmed that shelters in northern Lebanon are fully prepared, and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport will provide transportation from Beirut to the north to help displaced people reach available centers.
Officials stressed the need to counter rumors and prevent the spread of fear or hostility between host communities and displaced people. On the health front, authorities said medical care is being provided to all displaced persons at the expense of the Ministry of Public Health.
Regional governors briefed Salam on the situation in their areas, and officials agreed to ensure the provision of essential needs, including fuel. The interior minister and the director-general of the Internal Security Forces also presented security measures aimed at guiding displaced people, protecting shelters and preventing violations.
Salam emphasized the importance of coordination between the Higher Relief Commission, governors, the Disaster Management Unit and relevant ministers to ensure that needs are addressed promptly.
Aid agency the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said Friday that about 300,000 people in Lebanon have fled their homes after Israel issued a wave of evacuation orders and carried out airstrikes.
The evacuation orders cover hundreds of villages in southern Lebanon, as well as areas in the Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs, spanning a large portion of the country.
The NRC warned that the number of displaced people could potentially exceed one million.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Friday that at least 217 people had been killed and 798 wounded in Israeli strikes since Monday.
Salam warned Friday that “a humanitarian disaster is looming” due to the mass displacement.
