UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned of an acute humanitarian crisis in Lebanon due to displacement and Israel’s continued evacuation orders.
The United Nations Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned on Tuesday of a rising humanitarian crisis in Lebanon following the unprecedented wave of displacement of the Lebanese people from their towns and villages across Lebanon following Israel’s aggression on the country and its continuous evacuation orders.
In a press briefing, Dujarric quoted the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) that warned of an expected rise in the number of displaced people due to the Israeli occupation army’s continuous evacuation orders, the last of which in 30 villages in the south of Lebanon that were issued between September 30 and October 1.
The UN spokesperson revealed that “over 100,000 people have now moved from Lebanon into Syria, as over 200,000 people have been displaced from southern Lebanon.”
Dujarric stated that the UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed in a statement to the international community “to urgently support the $426 million emergency flash humanitarian appeal that was launched in Beirut earlier today.”
He said that the money will help support one million people with humanitarian aid for the next three months.
Hamas: The terrorist occupation committed horrific massacres in various parts of the Gaza Strip, including the barbaric, indiscriminate shelling of eastern Khan Younis and the barbaric raids on the Masqat School and the Al-Amal Orphanage, which house displaced people in Gaza… pic.twitter.com/P2L5bXsqxf
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 2, 2024
“The Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, warned that without sufficient resources, humanitarians risk leaving the population of an entire country without the support they urgently need,” Dujarric warned.
He told reporters that the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is working with partners on the ground to provide “urgent humanitarian and protection support” for the displaced in Lebanon while the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has “supported nearly 200 collective shelters hosting 50,000 displaced with essential supplies.”
He added that the World Health Organization (WHO) is also supporting “the Lebanese Public Health Emergency Operation Centre by providing staff, financial and technical support.”
“Also, we and our partners are supporting the Government’s response by providing food, nutrition for children, water and other essential supplies such as mattresses and hygiene kits,” he stated.
Ceasefire Now
Dujarric told reporters that the Secretary-General had expressed in his statement his deep concern over the ongoing escalation in Lebanon and appealed for an immediate ceasefire.
“An all-out war must be avoided in Lebanon at all costs, he quoted Guterres as saying, “and the territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected,” he added.
Massive destruction of residential buildings and infrastructure in southern Beirut due to Israel's ongoing aggression. pic.twitter.com/63lkBiRuW7
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 2, 2024
Dujarric told reporters that in a call with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, the Secretary-General told him that the “entire United Nations system in Lebanon was fully mobilized to assist all those in need in his country,” while emphasizing that all his representatives on the ground will continue their efforts to “de-escalate the situation.”
The UN spokesperson ended on the unfolding developments in Lebanon by assuring that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) “remain in position and are regularly adjusting their posture and activities in order to fulfill their mandate,” despite the critical situation under which they work.
Ongoing Genocide in Gaza
On Gaza, Dujarric highlighted the dire situation in the besieged Strip quoting reports by OCHA as indicating that “Israeli bombardments are continuing from the air, land and sea,” claiming the lives of Palestinian civilians and resulting in further displacement and destruction of the infrastructure.
“Meanwhile, ground operations continue to be reported — including in areas south of Gaza City, as well as Deir al Balah, Khan Younis and the Rafah area,’ he said.
“Our partners, working to provide food assistance, report that due to persistent supply shortages, more than 1.4 million people across Gaza had not received their monthly food rations as of late September,” emphasizing the World Food Program (WFP) has managed “to reach some 363,000 people in Gaza in September, albeit with reduced rations.”
The UN spokesperson told reporters that “as of the third week of September, our humanitarian partners reported that more than 150 kitchens were providing about 600,000 cooked meals to families across Gaza every day,” while adding that these ratios are bound to decrease in October due to shortage in supplies.
On the medical evacuations, he revealed that eight people, including seven children, were evacuated from Gaza on Monday to Romania for specialized medical attention.
“UN health partners report that an estimated 12,000 patients have not been evacuated since the closure of Rafah last May, and still need to be evacuated,” Dujarric concluded.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
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