September 29, 2024 | 00.09
READING: 3 minutes
Lebanon in chaos after the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The civilian population is fleeing. I’m “well over 200 thousand people have been displaced within Lebanon” due to the war unleashed by Israel against the Land of the Cedars and at least “50 thousand” citizens who fled to Syria, according to reports from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
“Rescue operations are underway, including by UNHCR, to help all those who need it,” he says. During the Syrian civil war, hundreds of thousands of people (1.5 million according to the Beirut government) took refuge in neighboring Lebanon to escape the atrocities taking place in Syria; now, with Israel’s attack directed against Hezbollah, the flow has reversed and the Lebanese are taking refuge in Syria.
In Beirut, children and families are in panic
Humanitarian needs in Lebanon have reached unprecedented levels after intense attacks on the capital Beirut which forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. Sabine Abiaad, ActionAid’s regional campaigns coordinator, who lives in Beirut with her family, explains: “In the last 24 hours, we have seen the most difficult and terrifying period since this escalation of attacks began. Israel’s continued bombing has lasted all night, leaving our children, families and loved ones in a state of extreme stress and panic. The psychological toll of this war is seriously undermining our ability and that of our partners to respond to growing humanitarian needs.”
“The needs in the field are rapidly increasing – he adds – Hospitals are under pressureand struggle to cope with the growing number of injured. Schools have been converted into shelters, but there is not enough space for the growing number of displaced families. Tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who have sought safety in Lebanon are being denied help, with many forced to sleep on the streets or cross borders to return to Syria. Yesterday some of our partners were forced to suspend humanitarian operations and evacuate after Israel launched attacks on southern areas of Beirut, leaving thousands of families without the urgent assistance they so desperately need.”
“People fleeing in desperate conditions”
A similar scenario is reported by Doctors Without Borders which speaks of a chaotic situation with thousands of people, including Doctors Without Borders teams, forced to abandon their homes without being able to take anything with them. Some fled on foot and many are still stuck in their cars. In Beirut the situation is desperate and MSF teams are working tirelessly providing water, hygiene kits and blankets. Thousands of people – we read in a note from MSF – are on the run, over 500 schools are full of people. People slept in their cars on the street and hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of injured.
So far, MSF teams have delivered 400 kits of basic necessities, including hygiene kits and mattresses, to refuges for displaced people. MSF is also providing water and offering psychological first aid to those in need, continuing to assess needs and provide help. As the Israeli bombing campaign in Lebanon continues, MSF reiterates its appeal for the protection of civilians and health workers.
“Over a thousand people killed in raids”
More than a thousand people, 1,030, have been killed in Israeli bombings in Lebanon in recent days, the Lebanese health ministry has announced. Among these there are also 56 women and 87 children. The injured are 6,352. But there are still people buried under the rubble, so the death toll is destined to worsen.
#Lebanon #drama #civilians #thousands #fleeing #desperate #conditions