MEDIA ALERT
15 Australian Charities To Hold Press Conference Announcing Joint Appeal on Middle East Emergency
17 March, 2026
The following information is not for publication but just for news planning purposes:
Australia’s leading charities will tomorrow announce a joint appeal aimed at raising millions of dollars in aid for people in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank who are facing an escalating humanitarian crisis in the wake of the military action launched in the region in early March.
According to The International Organisation for Migration, in Lebanon alone almost one million people have been forced to flee their homes amid the escalating conflict. There are also significant people movements in neighbouring countries such as Syria, which is now facing growing strain on limited resources in the war-torn country. The situation remains dire in Gaza too, with aid cut off at the outset of the renewed conflict, severing access to food, clean water, fuel and medical supplies.
The appeal is being launched by Emergency Action Alliance, an umbrella body of 15 leading aid organisations in Australia who use their reach and resources to save lives around the world.
The 15 charities involved in the joint Middle East Appeal are: Save the Children, Plan International Australia, Oxfam Australia, Australian for UNHCR, ActionAid, CARE Australia, Caritas Australia, ADRA, Act for Peace, Anglican Overseas Aid, Australian Lutheran World Service, Baptist World Aid, CBM, ChildFund Australia and Tearfund.
Details of the media call:
Time: 11.30am, 17 March 2026
Location: Save the Children National Office, Level 9/469 La Trobe St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Talent: The appeal will be announced by Susanne Legena, CEO of Plan International Australia, Matt Tinkler, CEO Save the Children Australia and Morgana Ryan CEO of CARE Australia.
Video and Audio: EAA will make video and audio from Legena and Tinkler post-event
Contact Nic Christensen | 0404 460 607 | [email protected]
About Emergency Action Alliance (EAA): EAA brings together 15 leading Australian NGOs to raise funds quickly and effi ciently to respond to humanitarian emergencies as they unfold. Members include ActionAid Australia, Act For Peace, ADRA, Anglican Overseas Aid, Australia for UNHCR, Australian Lutheran World Service, Baptist World Aid Australia, CARE Australia, Caritas Australia, CBM Australia, ChildFund Australia, Oxfam Australia, Plan International Australia, Save the Children Australia and Tearfund Australia.
Note for editors:
Here is a summary of the evolving humanitarian crisis occurring across the region:
- In Iran, more than 3.2 million people have been temporarily displaced. National authorities report approximately 1,300 deaths and over 9,000 injuries since the conflict began in late February.
- In Lebanon, heavy airstrikes and Israeli forces’ mass displacement orders are forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley and parts of Beirut. In the early days of the Lebanese conflict the UN estimated some 700,000 people, including 200,000 children had been displaced. This has now grown to almost one million people, according to The International Organisation for Migration. Around 128,000 people are sheltering in nearly 600 government-run collective centres, many already full or close to capacity. Humanitarian needs are rising quickly. Many families fled with nothing and shelters are overcrowded. Immediate needs include food, water, hygiene supplies, medical care and emergency shelter support.
- In Syria, more than 100,000 people have crossed the border from Lebanon into Syria since the start of the recent conflict.
- In Jordan, debris from missile interceptions has caused damage and injuries, including around areas hosting large refugee populations, such as Azraq camp where about 35,000 refugees live in shelters not designed for emergency situations.
- In Türkiye, preparations are ongoing for possible refugee movements from Iran, with hundreds of families already gathering near border crossings. Humanitarian organizations are contingency planning for the possible arrival of 5,000 to 100,000 people.
- In Iraq, ongoing drone attacks and heightened regional tensions are contributing to an unstable security environment. Aid organisations are now monitoring possible internal population movements and potential cross-border arrivals along Iraq’s borders. Any new displacement could place additional pressure on areas already hosting over 100,000 people who are internally displaced.
- In Gaza, aid was abruptly cut off at the outset of the renewed conflict, severing access to food, clean water, fuel and medical supplies, and has since resumed only in very limited amounts despite overwhelming need. Medical evacuations remain suspended, leaving thousands of critically ill and wounded patients without access to specialised care. To meet the scale of needs, all crossings must be opened and humanitarian and commercial supplies allowed to enter without delay, at sustained scale, and with predictable access for humanitarian actors to deliver assistance across the Strip.
- In the West Bank, widespread closures of crossings, checkpoints, and road gates have severely disrupted movement between Palestinian cities and governorates, preventing Palestinians from travelling to work, accessing healthcare, and obstructing humanitarian access. Ambulances and emergency services are delayed, and some hospitals have postponed surgeries because staff cannot reach their workplaces. The closures have also worsened fuel shortages, impacting bakeries and hospitals and forcing gas stations to operate limited hours. At the same time, settler violence and Israeli military activity have intensified across the West Bank, exposing Palestinian communities to escalating attacks and harm.