Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem announced Thursday that his group, along with its backer Iran, has allocated $77 million to assist Lebanese families displaced by the ongoing conflict with Israel. Qassem stated that the funds were part of a larger initiative, with a further $20 million earmarked for remaining families in need.
In November, Hezbollah began distributing monetary gifts ranging from $300 to $400 per family, benefiting over 233,000 displaced families who had registered for support. So far, $57 million has been distributed to 172,000 families, covering about 75% of the registered families. Qassem expressed gratitude to Iran for its "generous support" and reaffirmed Hezbollah's commitment to providing shelter and aiding in reconstruction efforts.
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel intensified in late September after a year of cross-border exchanges, which began in support of Hamas following the Palestinian group's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. According to a World Bank report released last month, the war has caused $5.1 billion in economic losses, with at least $3.4 billion in damage to physical structures and around $2.8 billion in housing damage, particularly in southern Lebanon.
Qassem also addressed the issue of displaced families whose homes were completely destroyed, announcing that they would receive a one-time payment of $14,000 over the course of one year for rent and furniture. Those in other areas would receive $12,000. He noted that most of the funds would be provided in cash by Iran to cover shelter costs, and he called on Arab and friendly countries to contribute to the reconstruction efforts.
In a previous conflict with Israel in 2006, Gulf countries, led by Qatar, provided reconstruction aid, while Iran assisted with rebuilding infrastructure, including bridges and roads.
(Source: ARABNEWS)
BD-Pratidin English/Mazdud
