UNITED NATIONS, Oct 10 (IPS) – A week has passed since the Israeli invasion of Lebanon began. Hostilities by Israeli forces have increased significantly in Lebanon over the past three weeks. Routine bombings not only resulted in significant civilian casualties but also damaged several key pieces of infrastructure. The United Nations warns that the number of people displaced continues to rise as shelters reach their maximum capacity.
Last Sunday, October 6, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out more than 30 airstrikes on the outskirts of Beirut. The next day, the 7th, the IDF said it had carried out more than 120 attacks on Hezbollah targets “within an hour.” On Tuesday, the IDF carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon, Nabateye, Bekaa, Balbek-Hermel and Mount Lebanon regions, killing at least 36 people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Despite U.S. calls for Israel to target Hezbollah military bases, attacks have become increasingly indiscriminate.
More than 2,000 Lebanese people have died in the past year, including more than 100 children and 300 women, according to Imran Riza, Lebanon’s humanitarian coordinator. This exceeds the death toll of the 2006 Lebanon War and is one of the deadliest periods in the country’s history. Regular airstrikes have destroyed homes, affecting more than a million people, many of whom have been displaced multiple times.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded more than 540,000 people displaced last year. Repeated evacuation orders have forced more than 58,890 people from southern Lebanon to northern areas, and more than 300,000 have fled to Lebanon’s neighboring countries of Syria, Iraq and Turkiye. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that a total of more than 1.2 million people have become refugees. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that about 350,000 of them are children.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported numerous gunfights as well as airstrikes over the weekend. These attacks have placed a severe strain on humanitarian aid workers and Lebanon’s health system. UNIFIL reported that peacekeepers had to take refuge in bunkers to avoid IDF fire. Additionally, 77 aid workers from the World Health Organization (WHO) died last year.
“According to Lebanese authorities, 36 incidents targeting health facilities were reported between October 8, 2023 and October 4, 2024. At least 96 primary health centers and three hospitals were closed due to hostilities. .” said Stéphane. Spokesperson for Secretary-General Dujarric at the UN press briefing on October 7.
On October 4, Marjayoun Government Hospital, Mays al-Jabal Government Hospital, and Salah Ghandour Hospital reported that operations were suspended due to ongoing bombing. The three hospitals asked WHO and the United Nations to protect patients and staff during the evacuation.
“Ongoing crimes against the health sector and emergency teams have reached bold levels that violate the United Nations Charter and human rights, especially the right of every individual to healthcare and hospitalization,” they informed Lebanon’s state news agency.
Recent attacks have also dealt a significant blow to Lebanon’s education sector. Figures from OCHA show that more than 75% of Lebanon’s schools have been converted into refugee shelters, with more than 80% of them operating at full capacity. Escalating hostilities in Israel have prompted Lebanese authorities to postpone the upcoming school year. Lebanese Education Minister Abbas Halabi said children would return to school on November 4, but this remains uncertain as the frequency of attacks increases.
More than 25 water and sanitation facilities have been damaged due to ongoing attacks. Dujarric said more than 300,000 Lebanese civilians were affected by water shortages. The United Nations and its agencies are distributing safe drinking water to thousands of people in displaced people’s shelters.
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people currently lack access to food due to significant declines in agricultural production due to destruction and security concerns. The Department of Agriculture and the National Scientific Research Council reported that about 4,500 acres of agricultural land, including 47,000 olive trees, were destroyed. The conflict has also resulted in the deaths of 340,000 farm animals.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), more than 90% of children do not have access to a hot meal during the day. The World Food Program (WFP) reports that more than 2.5 million people currently face severe food insecurity. Action Against Hunger estimates that more than 1.4 million people will face severe levels of hunger by the end of this year.
Health and humanitarian groups fear that the situation in Lebanon could become as dire as that in the Gaza Strip if a cease-fire agreement is not reached quickly. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “full-scale war in Lebanon must be avoided at all costs and Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.”
Currently, humanitarian organizations are on the front lines of this crisis, providing hot meals, clean drinking water, and cash assistance to affected communities. The United Nations launched an emergency appeal last week seeking $426 million. Currently, only 12% of the goal has been achieved. As hostilities continued to escalate, contributions from donors were urged.
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