Lebanon mulls prefab housing for displaced as Israeli strikes displace over 1.2 million

Shafaq News/ The Lebanese government announced on Wednesday that it is considering setting up prefabricated housing on public land to accommodate displaced people, in collaboration with international donors.

The move comes after Israeli airstrikes in several regions of Lebanon have displaced more than 1.2 million people, most within the past two weeks.

“There is a working paper on available options for shelters, including the possibility of building prefabricated homes on some open public lands,” said Environment Minister Nasser Yassin, who heads the government’s emergency committee, following a meeting chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

“We have maps prepared, but the plan depends on several criteria, including infrastructure, social, and security concerns,” Yassin added.

He noted that two potential locations have been identified for the prefabricated housing, with support from friendly nations, including Arab countries that have expressed a willingness to fund the project. Yassin did not disclose the exact locations or the countries involved.

This is the first time the government has publicly discussed such a proposal.

Lebanon has been struggling under an economic collapse for five years, which has left state institutions unable to meet the basic needs of its approximately six million residents. The influx of displaced persons adds to the burden on the already strained country.

Around half of the displaced are being sheltered in facilities in Beirut and the adjacent Mount Lebanon province, with 807 out of 1,000 available centers now at full capacity, according to authorities. Others are staying with relatives, in rented apartments, or camping in public spaces in Beirut.