Military Escalation in the Middle East: AOI, CINI, LINK 2007 and Piattaforma Mediterraneo e Medio Oriente address the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
27/03/2026
On 5 March 2026, the Italian civil society networks AOI – Associazione delle ONG Italiane, CINI – Coordinamento Italiano delle ONG Internazionali, LINK 2007 – Cooperazione in Rete, and the Piattaforma OSC Mediterraneo e Medio Oriente sent a formal letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) to express their deep concern regarding the current military escalation in the Middle East.
The escalation is having serious consequences for civilian populations in the region, who are already exposed to prolonged conditions of vulnerability. In several contexts, continuous attacks have been reported on populated areas, causing casualties also through the falling of munition fragments. The widespread presence of unexploded ordnance further represents a constant risk for local communities. These developments are compounded by significant disruptions to essential services: the suspension of school activities in countries such as Lebanon and in some areas of the West Bank is undermining the right to education and the educational programmes supported by organisations. At the same time, already critical limitations in access to fuel and electricity, particularly in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, are impacting daily life and access to essential services.
These dynamics are also having significant repercussions on the operational capacity of humanitarian interventions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Iraq. Airspace closures, restrictions at border crossings and the deterioration of the security context are hindering the movement of personnel, goods and essential supplies such as medical items, hygiene kits and food, thereby putting at risk the ability of organisations to respond in a timely and effective manner to the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
In their letter, the networks underline the absolute priority of ensuring the safety of staff and local partners, together with the need to guarantee the continuity of interventions in support of the most vulnerable populations.
To address these commitments, the Italian civil society networks have called for the establishment of a coordination mechanism between MAECI and the networks of Italian NGOs operating in the region, with the aim of:
- jointly monitoring the evolution of the security context and humanitarian needs;
- defining and updating, where necessary, staff evacuation plans;
- identifying measures to ensure the operations of Italian humanitarian organisations; and
- assessing possible additional emergency interventions to be implemented in a timely manner.
Following the letter, the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGCS) convened a meeting held on 19 March 2026, during which it confirmed its close attention to the issues raised and its willingness to activate regular consultation mechanisms on the crisis.
Photo: AFP/SIR