Oct 24 (IPS) – Attacks on Lebanon over the past two months, as perpetrated by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), have been increasingly indiscriminate. The Disaster Management Unit of the Lebanese Council of Ministers has confirmed that the death toll in Lebanon has risen to more than 2,530. In addition, Israel’s fighting has led to the injury of United Nations (UN) personnel, which has been described as a “violation of international law”.
Most recently, on the morning of October 23, the IDF coordinated an airstrike on the Lebanese port city of Tyre, hours after a series of airstrikes struck the suburbs of southern Beirut, destroying infrastructure. On October 22, Lebanese Cabinet member Nasser Yassin reported that Lebanon will need about 250 million dollars every month to help more than 1 million people who have been displaced due to the recent escalation of conflicts between Israel and Lebanon.
“In just one night we have seen more than one million people displaced due to attacks, war, violence. And this is like an earthquake. You do not see this figure in its scale and speed, except in a large nature. This is what happened in 48 hours,” said Yassin.
On October 21, an airstrike south of Beirut destroyed several buildings inside the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Lebanon’s largest, killing 18 civilians. Fears of future attacks on hospitals are widespread among Lebanese citizens and officials. Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the IDF, reported that the hospital had a dormitory with cash and gold worth millions of dollars.
“One of our main targets last night was an underground facility with ten million dollars. This money was used to finance Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel. According to the figures we have, it is at least half a billion dollars. With dollar bills and gold stored in this underground house, this money can be used to rebuild the country of Lebanon. ,” said Hagar.
The director of the hospital, Mazen Alame, told reporters that there is no such place to sleep. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has warned that any attack involving hospitals will be thoroughly investigated.
On Tuesday October 22, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) found more than 1,417 projectiles fired south of the Blue Line, critical infrastructure in Al Matmurah, Al Qawzah, Aytaroun, Ett Taibe, Majdal Silim, Ghobeiry and Khiam. . The escalation of violence led Hezbollah to take a tougher stance, informing reporters that the conflict had reached a “new phase of escalation”. Political analysts such as Amal Saad predict that the animosity between the two groups will continue to intensify.
“If you look at the big picture and see in terms of how Hezbollah survived all this and was able to withstand the continuous attack effort of the most powerful army in the Middle East, one can conclude that Hezbollah is actually stronger than we thought it was. This could be the most brutal Hezbollah that we see,” Saad said. .
Reports from UNIFIL personnel indicate that peacekeeping forces along the Lebanese border have become increasingly strained amid increased airstrikes and ground incursions. On 13 October, UNIFIL reported that the IDF had breached one of its bases, firing multiple rounds 100 meters away. 15 peacekeepers were injured due to smoke inhalation.
UNIFIL issued a press statement on October 20, reporting that an IDF bulldozer “deliberately destroyed” the UN tower and the border fence. They also emphasized that entering UN positions and destroying UN property is a violation of international humanitarian law. Despite numerous security breaches and attacks on peacekeeping forces, UNIFIL has maintained its positions in Lebanon, continuing to closely monitor and report on Israeli crimes.
The UN and its affiliates continue to support the affected communities in Lebanon. The World Food Program (WFP) has been on the front line since “the first day of the crisis”, distributing daily hot meals and food parcels to more than 200,000 kitchens in Lebanon, and providing food aid to nearly 150,000 Lebanese refugees in Syria.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) delivered more than 140 tons of medical supplies to medical facilities and first responders. UNICEF also provided medical and psychological assistance to people in all 50 shelters in Lebanon. They also distribute essential supplies to shelters, including hygiene items, water supplies, bedding, supplements, baby food and maternity supplies.
UNICEF has also partnered with the Lebanese Ministry of Education to provide children with educational resources to ensure they maintain some form of schooling during the conflict.
In early October, the UN launched an urgent appeal for 426 million dollars to provide aid to affected communities over the next three months. Continued funding and donor contributions will be critical as attacks continue to occur.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
