Following the outbreak of violence in May, the ICRC reminded all parties of the basic rules of international humanitarian law: the need to respect and protect civilians; the need to treat detainees and those who surrender humanely at all times; and the need to respect medical personnel and vehicles, including those bearing the red cross or red crescent emblem. Contact was made with parties in the north of the country, in the Bekaa Valley, in Aley, in the Chouf, in Mount Lebanon, and in Beirut.

The ICRC carried out 15 visits to detainees in seven places of detention to monitor their conditions of detention and their treatment. Exchanging Red Cross messages enables families to keep in touch with their relatives in detention: the ICRC passed 55 messages between detainees and their relatives during this period. The ICRC also made 40 phone calls to family members to inform them of the whereabouts and welfare of their detained relatives.

Acting in its capacity as a neutral intermediary, the ICRC worked with the Israeli and Lebanese authorities to repatriate the human remains of a Lebanese civilian who died in Israel at the end of April. The body was handed over to the family of the deceased in cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross Society.

Water

After four months of extensive works, the ICRC finished repairing the main water network in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr el-Bared. The water supply has accordingly been restored in the "new camp” section, benefiting some 8,000 people who have returned to the camp.

The renovated water distribution network is designed to serve around 30,000 people, the camp’s original population. Around 2.7 kilometres of plastic pipes have been installed. Following completion of the works, management of the network was handed over to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

The ICRC also repaired three water tanks, each with a capacity of 60 cubic metres, and installed two generators at the existing pumping stations. Each station was equipped with a chlorinator to purify the water before it is sent through to the network.

The ICRC took action in Bednayel in the Bekaa Valley following an urgent request from the local water board to repair the pump for the village’s main underground well, the only source of water for some 15,000 people. Emergency works included repairing and refitting the pump. The ICRC also carried out electromechanical repair work at the Ras al-Mal pumping station, which supplies 11,000 people in Hermel with drinking water.

Health

The ICRC provided six hospitals with essential medical supplies during the violence in May to help them cope with the influx of wounded persons. First aid materials, including dressings and sutures, were supplied. In addition, the ICRC embarked on a project to support five hospitals and two nursing schools run by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (Lebanon branch) in various parts of the country, designed to update the technical knowledge of the nursing staff and doctors at these hospitals. A specialist ICRC nurse began providing staff with up-to-date information to improve their skills.

Food

In April and May, the ICRC donated 93 tonnes of food to 27 charity institutions and orphanages in Beirut, in the north of the country and in the Bekaa Valley.

In May, a group of Palestine Red Crescent Society (Lebanon branch) volunteers and Lebanese Red Cross Society youth volunteers received five days of specialized training from the ICRC on conducting assessments. The aim was to improve their performance, so that fast and accurate assessments can be carried out in times of crisis to identify the needs of the population.

The ICRC's support of the Lebanese Red Cross Society Emergency Medical Services over the last few years contributed to its exceptional response during the most recent outbreak of violence in Lebanon.

In April, the ICRC held a four-day seminar in Tyre for middle-school teachers from southern Lebanon to introduce them to international humanitarian law via a tailor-made programme called Exploring Humanitarian Law (EHL). The seminar, the third of its kind to be organized this year in cooperation with the Committee responsible for implementing the EHL programme in Lebanese schools, was attended by 22 teachers from both public and private schools as well as teachers from UNRWA schools in the Palestinian camps in southern Lebanon.

Presentations on international humanitarian law were organized for the Lebanese army and for the staff of the Internal Security Forces (ISF). These were delivered to troops deployed in Keserwan, the Bekaa Valley and Tripoli, trainees at the ISF training institute in Warwar, Beirut and police officers in Zahleh and Tripoli.