UNITED NATIONS, Oct 10 (IPS) – One week has passed since the start of Israel’s attack on Lebanon. In the past three weeks, Lebanon has seen a sharp increase in Israeli military operations. The regular bombings caused heavy civilian casualties and the failure of several critical infrastructures. The United Nations warns that displacement continues to increase as shelters reach their maximum capacity.
Last Sunday, October 6, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) launched more than 30 airstrikes in the suburbs of Beirut. The next day on the 7th, the IDF said it launched more than 120 strikes on Hezbollah targets “within an hour”. On Tuesday, the IDF launched airstrikes in the regions of South Lebanon, Nabatieh, Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel and Mount Lebanon, killing at least 36 people according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. Despite the United States urging Israel to target Hezbollah military bases, attacks have grown indiscriminate.
According to Lebanon’s Humanitarian Coordinator, Imran Riza, more than 2,000 Lebanese have been killed in the past year, including more than 100 children and 300 women. This exceeds the death toll of the 2006 Lebanon War and marks one of the deadliest periods in the nation’s history. Regular airstrikes have leveled homes, affecting more than a million people, many of whom have been displaced.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded more than 540,000 migrants last year. Repeated evacuation orders have pushed more than 58,890 from southern Lebanon to northern areas, while more than 300,000 have fled to Lebanon’s neighboring countries, Syria, Iraq, and Türkiye. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that more than 1.2 million people have been displaced. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that around 350,000 of them are children.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported several incidents of gunfire and airstrikes over the weekend. The attack has placed a heavy strain on humanitarian workers and Lebanon’s health system. UNIFIL reported that its peacekeeping personnel had to take refuge in houses to avoid fire from the IDF. Additionally, 77 World Health Organization (WHO) aid workers were killed last year.
“According to the Lebanese authorities, 36 incidents against health facilities were reported between 8 October 2023 and 4 October 2024. At least 96 primary health care facilities, and three hospitals, were forced to close due to the conflicts”, said Stéphane. Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, at a UN press conference on October 7.
On 4 October, Marjayoun Governmental Hospital, Mays al-Jabal Governmental Hospital, and Salah Ghandoor Hospital reported that they were out of service following continued bombing. The three hospitals asked the WHO and the UN to provide protection to patients and staff during the evacuation.
They informed the official Lebanese news agency that “The ongoing crimes against the medical sector and emergency teams have reached a level of severity in violation of UN laws and human rights, especially regarding the right to medical care and hospitalization for all people”.
The recent attacks have wreaked havoc on Lebanon’s education sector. Statistics from OCHA show that more than 75 percent of Lebanese schools have been converted into shelters, and more than 80 percent of them are of high quality. The escalating conflict in Israel has led Lebanese authorities to postpone the upcoming school year. The Minister of Education in Lebanon, Abbas Halabi, said that children will return to school on November 4, however this is not yet confirmed as the attacks are increasing.
The ongoing attacks have resulted in the destruction of more than 25 sanitation facilities. Dujarric said more than 300,000 Lebanese citizens are affected by water shortages. The UN and its partners are distributing safe drinking water to thousands of people in shelters.
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people currently lack access to food as destruction and security concerns have severely reduced agricultural yields. The Ministry of Agriculture and the National Scientific Research Council report that approximately 4,500 hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed, including 47,000 olive trees. 340,000 farm animals were also killed in the conflict.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), more than 90 percent of children do not receive a hot meal during the day. The World Food Program reports that more than 2.5 million people are currently facing food insecurity. Action Against Hunger estimates that more than 1.4 million people are expected to face severe levels of hunger by the end of the year.
Health and humanitarian organizations fear that the situation in Lebanon could worsen as it has in Gaza if a cease-fire agreement is not reached. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned: “A serious war must be avoided in Lebanon by all means, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected”.
Currently, humanitarian organizations are at the forefront of the crisis, delivering hot meals, clean drinking water, and cash transfers to affected communities. The UN launched a Flash Appeal last week, which calls for 426 million dollars. So far, only 12 percent of that goal has been achieved. Donors are urged to contribute as the battle continues to rage.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
