Lebanon: widescale displacement continues amid ongoing bombing

In south and east Lebanon civilians continue to face airstrikes, mass forced displacement and deprivation as the fight between Israel and Hezbollah militia goes on against the backdrop of war in Gaza.

In recent days, “an estimated 50,000 people have left Baalbek heading mostly to areas in the north of the Bekaa Valley, with many people spending the night in their vehicles,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office (OCHA). Speaking to journalists in Geneva, he described how “relentless displacement orders and subsequent airstrikes have dramatically increased displacement to a total of more than 842,000, over half of them women and girls”.

In addition to those internally displaced, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has recorded 460,000 people crossing into Syria; 70 per cent of whom were Syrians and 30 per cent Lebanese or other nationals - as well as 25,000 Lebanese arriving in Iraq. That represents a total of more than 1.3 million people now uprooted since the Gaza-Israel war began on 7 October 2023.

UN agencies and partners on the ground are responding to the urgent needs, rushing hot meals, clean water, medical supplies, mattresses, health kits and other basic items to vulnerable individuals. “We are working to access civilians who remain in hard-to-reach areas,” explained Mr. Laerke. “To date, 15 convoys have successfully been organized to reach areas in Tyre, Hasbaya, Marjayoun and Baalbek. But the insecurity has an impact on what we can do,” he added, as two humanitarian convoys to Baalbek were cancelled owing to the deteriorating security there.

A lack of funding is also undermining efforts. The UN flash appeal of $426 million for Lebanon is only 16 per cent funded at $73 million, far from the $800 million in pledges announced at the Paris Conference on Lebanon one week ago.

At the same time the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that it is deeply concerned about rising attacks on health workers and facilities in Lebanon, warning that the healthcare system was already under enormous pressure before the Israeli war against Hezbollah. Since an escalation of hostilities on 17 September 2024, the UN health agency has verified 55 attacks on healthcare in Lebanon, causing 102 deaths with 83 injured. “But the (Lebanese) Ministry of Health is reporting that there are much higher numbers,” said Dr. Margaret Harris, WHO spokesperson. Many health workers have been killed or injured while off duty, she said, and this matters because “the health systems are already overstretched, health workers are already overworked and displaced. We are continuing to lose health workers at the very time when they are needed most”.

Asked whether Israel was attacking health facilities without any precaution as has been reported in Gaza, Dr. Harris replied that the WHO was “again and again and again emphasizing that health care is not a target, health workers are not a target. And we are certainly concerned about seeing the same pattern.”

Airstrikes have killed more than 2,800 people in Lebanon and wounded more than 13,000 others nationwide since the start of the Gaza war last year, when Hezbollah began attacking northern Israel with rockets as a “support front” for the Gaza Strip. Most of the casualties in Lebanon have occurred since last September.

Ends

Story: “Lebanon update – OCHA, WHO” – 01 November 2024

Speakers are spokespersons:

• Jens Laerke, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
• Margaret Harris, World Health Organization (WHO)

TRT: 02’06”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 01 November 2024 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Geneva Press briefing

SHOTLIST

1. Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley.
2. Wide shot of the podium with speakers at the press conference room.
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “In recent days, an estimated 50,000 people have left Baalbek heading mostly to areas in the north of the Bekaa Valley, with many people spending the night in their vehicles. These relentless displacement orders and subsequent airstrikes have dramatically increased displacement to a total of more than 842,000, over half of them women and girls.”
4. Medium shot of the speakers on the podium at the press conference room.
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “We are working to access civilians who remain in hard-to-reach areas. To date, 15 convoys have successfully been organized to reach areas in Tyre, Hasbaya, Marjayoun and Baalbek. But the insecurity has an impact on what we can do. Two humanitarian convoys to Baalbek were canceled due to the recently deteriorating security there.”
6. Medium shot: journalists at the press conference room.
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “We have a flash appeal out there for $426 million, but it is today just 16 per cent funded with $73 million.”
8. Cutaway Medium shot of journalists in the press conference room.
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Margaret Harris, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO): “We've had 55 attacks verified, but the Ministry of Health is reporting that there are much higher numbers, as many workers have been killed or injured while off duty, and this matters because the health systems are already overstretched, health workers are already overworked and displaced. So, we are continuing to lose health workers at the very time when they are needed most.”
   
   
10. Close shot of a laptop screen with the WHO spokesperson on.
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Margaret Harris, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO): “We are, again and again and again emphasizing that health care is not a target. Health workers are not a target. And we are certainly concerned about seeing the same pattern.”
12. Wide shot of press conference room.
13. Close shots of journalists in the press conference room.