Australian Red Cross’ Restoring Family Links (RFL) program has a long history of supporting families who have been separated from loved ones as a result of conflict, disaster or migration and the conflict in the Middle East is no different.

You can find out more about our program through our webpage: https://www.redcross.org.au/migration/findmy-family-restoring-family-links/

We are writing to your organisation today to remind community organisations and groups like yours of the work we are currently doing to support people affected and to share some resources that may assist at this time. We acknowledge too the difficult one year anniversary that has just passed.

If you or someone in your community have lost contact with their family in Lebanon, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories or elsewhere in the region, because of the current situation, please contact our Australian Red Cross Restoring family Links (RFL) Telephone Hotline on 1800 875 199 (9am-5pm AEST) or email us at [email protected] as we may be able to assist. Our service is free and confidential.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Beirut Delegation and the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) are currently monitoring the situation through regular field visits and reports collected from various sources. They have also started receiving a small number of enquiries due to the escalation in conflict impacting persons in Lebanon. The ICRC has also continued, since the beginning of the conflict, to provide support to persons with missing family in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Please be aware that the capacity of colleagues overseas may at times be limited due to the changing situation on the ground, but personnel are doing what they can.

People living in Lebanon can contact the ICRC or the Lebanon Red Cross (LRC) on the below phone numbers to seek assistance:

• ICRC Community Contact Centre: 01 727 727

• LRC Hotlines: 1760 and +961 71 910 269

• People in the Occupied Palestinian Territories can contact the community call centre, administered by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

• For contact in English, you can reach the ICRC by calling: 03 524 5286.

• For contact in Arabic, you can reach the ICRC by calling: 08 283 2400.

• For families living outside of Lebanon, please contact Australian Red Cross (if in Australia) or the local Red Cross/Red Crescent National Society in the respective country where family are residing.

We are also attaching links to other resources that might be helpful to your community at this time.

For more information about what the Australian Red Cross and Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is doing to respond to this conflict, please read our report available online: Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory | Australian Red Cross

If you have any queries or require further information, please feel free to contact us on our RFL Hotline number on 1800 875 199 (9am-5pm AEST).