Lebanon: UN agencies call for ceasefire as war worsens dire conditions

As daily Israeli airstrikes and shelling continue to devastate parts of the country, the humanitarian situation in Lebanon has reached levels that exceed the severity of the 2006 war, with ongoing hostilities resulting in 2,867 deaths and over 13,000 injuries as of October 8, 2023, have reported the Lebanese authorities. in latest flash update from the UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination, EYES.

Here are some highlights from that report:

• Of the 2,867 people killed and 13,047 injured since 8 October 2023, 178 children were killed and 1,173 were injured
• A total of 842,648 people are internally displaced, of whom 52% are women and 48% are men, according to the UN’s migration agency, IOM.
• The UN health agency WHO reported 36 attacks on health facilities, 85 health workers killed and 51 injured in the line of duty between September 17 and October 31, 2024.

The situation has escalated again in recent days, according to OCHA, which reported that the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for residents of Baalbek and Nabatieh shortly before airstrikes targeted those locations, along with the first evacuation order for a refugee camp.

Bombs destroy critical sites

The toll on the population was exacerbated by the destruction of critical infrastructure, including health care, with many hospitals overwhelmed and urgently requesting blood donations to cope with the critical influx of casualties.

The humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, condemned the attacks on civilians and infrastructure, calling for an immediate end to hostilities to protect vulnerable populations.

Meanwhile, UN agencies and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) 10,000 troops in southern Lebanon continue to support vulnerable populations affected by the conflict, providing essential services and supplies.

Widespread panic amid evacuation orders

Israel’s back-to-back evacuation orders on October 30 and 31 for Baalbek triggered widespread panic and displacement of civilians on the roads to Zahle and Akkar, according to OCHA’s latest report. Many people spent the night in their vehicles, braving harsh weather and security conditions as they sought safety.

Similar evacuation notices have been issued in various localities in the southern suburbs of Nabatieh, Tire and Beirut, further escalating the crisis, but such displacement orders are not consistently issued before each strike, leaving civilians insecure and vulnerable in face of ongoing hostilities, UN office. said.

On October 31, the Israeli military issued the first evacuation order for a refugee camp – the Palestinian Rashidieh camp – along with 10 villages in southern Lebanon, forcing residents to make difficult decisions amid limited options for safe haven.

This follows strikes in the past month on two other Palestinian refugee camps, carried out without warning and without displacement orders, OCHA reported.

Extremely dangerous conditions

The first medical interventions continued to operate in extremely dangerous situationsthe agency said.

In addition, expectant mothers have been severely affected by the escalation of violence in Lebanon, according to the UN agency for sexual and reproductive health, UNFPA.

The intensifying conflict across the country has affected more than 11,000 pregnant women, with 1,300 expected to give birth soon, despite massive infrastructure losses and a limited health system, according to UNFPA, which supports maternal health in Lebanon and Syria with critical medical services , psychological and logistical support for displaced and vulnerable women during the ongoing crisis.

At least one child dies every day

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also issued a warning about the devastating physical and emotional impacts of conflict on children, noting that war has left them traumatized, exhibiting profound emotional and physical distress, including heightened anxiety, aggression and sleep disturbances.

Since October 4, 2024, at least one child has been killed and 10 injured daily in the country, said the agency, which provides psychological support to thousands of people.

True recovery can only begin with a permanent ceasefire, ensuring safe access to essential services for Lebanon’s children, UNICEF said.

Growing hunger

Food insecurity will worsen significantly due to intensifying conflicts and economic tensions, putting Lebanon on the list of hot spots of great concern, according to the latest famine report issued by UN food agencies.

From April to September 2024, 1.3 million people, or 23 percent of Lebanon’s population, experienced high levels of acute food insecurity, including 85,000 in emergency conditions.

The report called for expanding food aid, cash support and agricultural assistance to meet the needs of communities affected by the escalating crisis in Lebanon.

Read the full hunger hotspots report Here.

Parallel economic crisis

The ongoing conflict is also deepening Lebanon’s economic crisis, with the UN World Food Program (WFP) reporting on potential gross domestic product (GDP) contraction of up to 15.6 percent.

Such key sectors as tourism and agriculture are severely affected, exacerbating inflation and destabilizing supply chains.

UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that the escalating conflict is exacerbating the hardships faced by agriculture-dependent communities, intensifying an already severe food security crisis at the national level.

Israeli airstrikes continue to bomb food producing areas. Over 1,900 hectares of agricultural land in the southern governorates and Nabatieh have been damaged or remain unharvested due to the ongoing conflict.