Ongoing violence has displaced more than 1.2 million people within Lebanon. UN: Lebanon on brink of humanitarian collapse Humanitarian Aid
The UN Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon on Thursday called on the international community to step up efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, warning that Lebanon is on the brink of humanitarian collapse.
Speaking at the International Conference in Support of the People and Sovereignty of Lebanon in Paris, Imran Riza expressed grave concern about the situation of the country’s civilians. “As the fighting continues, humanitarian needs are growing and the suffering is intensifying,” he said.
Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert told the conference that concrete efforts to stop the fighting were needed in the face of an already dire situation.
She recalled that the UN launched a $2.72 billion Response Plan for Lebanon in 2023 and this month issued an urgent appeal to the international community for $426 million in aid to the country. However, without a ceasefire, Hennis-Plasschaert stressed, the needs in Lebanon will only grow.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also stressed the need for a ceasefire, along with steps to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions.
Mass displacement, humanitarian burden
Ongoing violence has displaced more than 1.2 million people within Lebanon. Guterres noted: “Since October last year, more than 2,300 people have been killed in Lebanon and at least 50 in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan. Many children and women are among those killed.”
Deputy Special Coordinator Riza stressed the urgency of the situation: “We cannot, in fact we must not, allow this to happen. The people of Lebanon expect us, the international community, to deliver.”
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reports that the overcrowded shelters, with unsanitary conditions and a shortage of water, increase the risk of disease spreading. The country has already recorded its first case of cholera.
Call for urgent action
Speaking at the conference, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said that “the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon is a tragic continuation of the devastating war in Gaza and the crisis in the West Bank.”
He warned that civilians were “once again paying” the highest price for what is happening, adding that “hundreds of thousands of people are forced to seek refuge in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.”
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix stressed that “the United Nations alone cannot deliver stability and peace.” The parties must demonstrate the “necessary political will” and reaffirm their commitment to implementing Security Council resolutions.
Having gathered to discuss the crisis at an international conference in Paris, the world community recognized the need for immediate action. “Let us demonstrate our solidarity through action to alleviate human suffering and achieve peace,” stressed UN chief Antonio Guterres.