Lebanon Experiencing ‘Catastrophic’ Situation as 600,000 Displaced Due to Israeli War: UN

Thursday, 10 October 2024 9:27 AM

Lebanese people carry their belongings while walking on the rubble at Masnaa border crossing with Syria as they flee Lebanon due to Israel’s ongoing war on the Arab country, October 4, 2024. 

The United Nations has warned that Lebanon is facing a “catastrophic” situation as 600,000 people have been displaced internally due to the ongoing Israeli war against the Arab country.

During a Wednesday briefing, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, raised the alarm as the occupying regime presses ahead with its relentless bombardments of southern Beirut while advancing into the country with a ground offensive launched in late September.

“Lebanon finds itself facing a conflict and a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic proportions,” she said, as fighting rages on, with the Israeli military claiming it is combating fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement.

The UN official also expressed hope that Israel will heed "the many calls and appeals that are out there” for de-escalation.

The development comes more than 2,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon in the past year, while the attacks have also displaced around one million people, including some 400,000 who have fled to neighboring Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already doubled down, warning that Lebanon could face “a long war... like we see in Gaza.”

Lebanon’s transport minister says there is no guarantee Israel would not attack Beirut airport.

The UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, said that the Arab country was facing “one of the deadliest periods” in its recent history, reporting that 600,000 people are internally displaced, of whom more than 350,000 are children.

“Even wars have rules,” he added.

Hezbollah has been fighting Israel since October 8 last year, a day after the regime launched a brutal aggression against the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

The Lebanese resistance has indicated that its firing of rockets at Israeli targets will stop only once the regime completely ends its invasion of Gaza.