The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, has issued a stark warning about the deteriorating situation in Lebanon, describing the humanitarian landscape as “extremely bleak.”
In a recent statement, he highlighted “alarming and unprecedented levels” of civilian casualties and humanitarian burden from the ongoing conflict.
“In the past week alone,” Riza reported, citing Ministry of Public Health figures, “at least 241 people have been killed and 642 others wounded due to Israeli airstrikes.”
He drew particular attention to two devastating incidents: a strike on Alamat in Jbeil that killed 23 people, including seven children, and another attack in Tyre that killed five siblings with special needs from the same family.
The UN coordinator painted a grim picture of mass displacement across the country. “Over the past month, hostilities have forced more than 185,000 people to abandon their homes in search of safety within the country,” he stated.
Riza expressed particular concern for those unable to flee, noting that “many individuals, including elderly and vulnerable people, remain trapped among the rubble in their towns and homes.”
In his concluding remarks, the UN official made a forceful appeal for action on multiple fronts. He emphasized that “the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure must be guaranteed” and stressed the importance of respecting international humanitarian law. His final message was unequivocal: “All this violence must stop now.”
The coordinator's strong statements underscore the severity of what has become one of Lebanon's most severe humanitarian crises in recent years, with civilians continuing to bear the heaviest burden of the escalating conflict.
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