Lebanon update OCHA - WHO
/
2:06
/
MP4
/
154 MB
Transcripts
Download

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Lebanon update OCHA - WHO

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.


Audio Files 1
Download Lebanon update OCHA - WHO (Edited Story)
Download

Similar Stories

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNWOMEN

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025 ENG FRA

Aid agencies echoed wider warnings of growing signs of widespread starvation in Gaza on Tuesday, as UN-partnered international food security experts released their most dire assessment yet of the situation in the wartorn enclave.

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | IOM , UNDP , UNHCR

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025 ENG FRA

Sudan: urgent help needed as more than 1.3 million war-displaced people begin to return home

As conflict rages on across parts of Sudan, pockets of relative safety have emerged in the past four month, spurring more than one million internally displaced Sudanese to make their way home, says the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A further 320,000 cross-border refugees have come back to Sudan since last year, mainly from Egypt and South Sudan, to assess the current situation before deciding to return to their country for good.

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , WHO

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: SOS messages describe people fainting from hunger; UN health worker detained

Worrying alerts from United Nations staff in Gaza who have been fainting from hunger and exhaustion over the past 48 hours have increased fears for people’s survival in the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR

Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh ENG FRA

Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans ENG FRA

The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.  

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida. 

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives

Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine ENG

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA  15 July 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA 15 July 2025 ENG FRA

Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence  in Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence in Haiti ENG FRA

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.