With support from the Ead Samawi Foundation, The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) significantly scaled up its humanitarian response across Syria in 2024 as hostilities intensified dramatically in the final quarter of the year. In late November, large-scale coordinated attacks led to a shift in control to new authorities and a transitional government, with detention facilities opened, prisoners released, and new arrests taking place. This escalation occurred against the backdrop of more than a decade of armed conflict that has devastated the country’s infrastructure and pushed 90% of the population below the poverty line.

Massive Infrastructure and Emergency Response

The Ead Samawi Foundation was proud to support the ICRC as it delivered life-saving assistance to millions of Syrians through comprehensive humanitarian operations:

· Essential Services: Over 14 million people gained improved access to water, electricity, and healthcare through critical infrastructure maintenance and repairs

· Food and Livelihood Support: 1.2 million people received income support for immediate expenses and livelihood strengthening, while 6,238 people in Hassakeh received high-calorie supplements to prevent malnutrition

· Healthcare Access: 40 primary healthcare facilities were supported with medicines and medical equipment, treating wounded people and providing vital services to conflict-affected communities

Critical Infrastructure Stabilization

A cornerstone of the ICRC’s response was its “Too Big to Fail” programme—one of the organization’s largest multi-year infrastructure projects launched in 2022. Working with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and Ministry of Water Resources, the ICRC maintained and rehabilitated seven major water stations supplying clean water to nearly 12 million people across the country. This intervention addressed the cascading crisis where 80% electricity production loss has severely impacted water treatment facilities, with half no longer functioning.

Missing Persons and Family Reunification

The ICRC made significant progress in addressing family separation, resolving 255 missing-persons cases and facilitating eight child reunifications after years of separation. Over 30,000 tracing cases remained active by year-end, highlighting the enormous scale of family separation caused by over a decade of conflict.

Healthcare and Detention Monitoring

The organization supported 21 hospitals with emergency supplies and training while monitoring conditions at 15 detention facilities housing around 26,000 detainees. Following December prisoner releases, the ICRC provided crucial post-release support including family contact facilitation and healthcare referrals. – Majed Samawi