Lebanon: Order of Malta staff member Chadi Ammar killed in airstrike
The Order of Malta mourns the tragic death of Chadi Ammar, a young Order of Malta staff member in Lebanon, the victim of an airstrike that hit the southern town of Aïn Ebel.
Ammar, in his early twenties, was part of the large network of volunteers and employees who support the Order of Malta’s humanitarian activities in the area. He worked within the agro-humanitarian department, focusing on food security in the southern border region, through the Order’s agricultural centre in Aïn Ebel. At the time of the strike, Chadi was on the roof of a building together with two other young men who had also chosen not to leave their Christian village, trying to restore the internet connection so that those who had remained in Aïn Ebel during these difficult circumstances could stay connected. His death represents a painful loss for the Order’s entire community and for the people who worked and served alongside him.
“The death of young Chadi Ammar grieves us deeply. He was part of our great family, who serve the most vulnerable with dedication and courage every day. His commitment and spirit of service will remain an example to us,” declared Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap, expressing his sincere closeness to the family and all members of the Order of Malta in Lebanon.
The tragic event comes as the Middle East is experiencing a new and dramatic military escalation. The regional conflict has also gradually spread to Lebanon, exacerbating an already extremely fragile humanitarian crisis.
In the early days of the conflict, Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets caused hundreds of casualties and over a thousand injuries. According to the most recent estimates, some 800,000 people have been forced to leave their homes, while many more live in fear and uncertainty.
The situation is made even more dramatic by the fact that for years the country has been facing multiple crises with the arrival of over a million Syrian refugees, the economic collapse of 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic, the devastating explosion of the port of Beirut in 2020 and the 2024 conflict with Israel. Today, between 70 and 80% of the population has fallen into poverty and the new war risks having consequences that will last for decades.
The Order of Malta’s commitment to the displaced
Despite the difficulties and risks, the Order of Malta in Lebanon continues to operate countrywide to assist the war-affected population.
As the crisis deepens – explained Oumayma Farah, Director of Development and Communication for the Order of Malta in Lebanon – the Order continues to stand alongside displaced families and the most vulnerable communities. Humanitarian teams are on the ground, providing healthcare and medical consultations through mobile medical units, distributing food and hygiene kits, offering psychosocial support and preparing hot meals through our mobile kitchens.
Many temporary shelters are schools transformed into reception centres: each classroom often houses 10–12 people sleeping on the floor, sharing bathrooms and common areas, with obvious hygiene and health problems.
Sixty years of service in the country
Present in Lebanon for over sixty years, the Order of Malta is one of the country’s main humanitarian entities. Through a network of 60 projects and programmes, the organization provides healthcare, social support and agricultural support to the most vulnerable communities.
Its activities include 12 primary healthcare centres, 12 mobile medical units, 7 agro-humanitarian centres, 3 mobile community kitchens and several social programmes, as well as facilities dedicated to persons with disabilities.
