Destruction in Beirut. Escalation in Lebanon: Shelling, uncertainty and fear Peace and security
Amid new reports of Hezbollah shelling Israel and clashes along the UN-patrolled Blue Line, displaced Lebanese have told UN aid workers how they fled “total destruction.”
In Beirut, Israeli attacks continue as aid workers try to support those in need, according to UN agencies, while their own families flee for safety, said Imran Riza, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon.
Victims Mounting
“Another sleepless night in Beirut, spent counting the explosions shaking the city. No warning sirens. No telling what will happen next. Only uncertainty ahead. “There is anxiety and fear everywhere,” said UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.
Read also:
EXPLAIN | Security Council Resolution 1701, the Blue Line and UNIFIL
On Thursday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said 1,600 people had been killed and 6,000 injured in recent days. “It is vital that civilians are protected. IOM is providing assistance, but further support is needed,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the death toll was rising and hospitals were overwhelmed with the wounded.
Traumatic experience
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said Israeli attacks continued to force thousands of people to flee their homes and that those affected “desperately need” support from the international community to provide essentials such as food, hygiene and medical care.
UNHCR Representative in Lebanon Ivo Freysen warned of widespread trauma and anxiety, and shared the experience of a young woman, Nancy, who described “horrific” scenes, he said: “We begin to understand that we could die at any moment… the stress I feel is hard to describe.” Another Lebanese woman, Muna, described fleeing her home because “there were 10 explosions going off at the same time.”
A Nightmare for Children
Communities in southern Lebanon have also been hit by the escalating conflict. Zeinab and Fatima were preparing to go to school for an exam when the shelling began. They feared their home would collapse on them.
“My mother told us to pack our things quickly and we left in a hurry,” Zeinab, 14, told the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
When the family reached Beirut, Zeinab said she continued to hear shelling and “the sounds of explosions echoed everywhere.”
To help children across Lebanon, UNICEF staff on the ground are supporting the provision of water, health, nutrition, education and psychosocial services.
Nearly 130,000 displaced people have also received food parcels and emergency cash assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP).
“As the security situation in Lebanon deteriorates, the need for emergency food assistance is rapidly increasing,” said WFP Regional Director Corinne Fleischer, calling on all parties to continue facilitating humanitarian access.