United Nations representatives expressed concern on Friday about the worsening humanitarian situation in Lebanon, noting that a surge in civilian displacement brought on by increased Israeli military activity has left 900 government-run shelters filled, Reuters reported.
Rula Amin, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency, stated during a press briefing in Geneva that efforts are underway to locate additional shelter sites, with some hotels beginning to open their doors to those in need.
“People are sleeping in public parks, on the streets, and even on the beach,” Reuters quoted Mathieu Luciano, head of the International Organisation for Migration in Lebanon, as saying.
He confirmed that while many shelters, especially in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, are full, some still have limited availability. Tens of thousands of domestic workers, most of them are women, are apparently being “abandoned” by their employers, a situation Luciano brought attention to. Many of these labourers are from nations with extreme housing and support problems, like Egypt, Sudan, and Sri Lanka.
According to Lebanese authorities, over 1.2 million people have been displaced since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, with nearly 2,000 reported fatalities in the past two weeks alone.
Israeli bombings on Friday closed down Lebanon’s main border crossing with Syria, preventing cars from passing; nevertheless, according to UNHCR spokesperson Amin, some people were were crossing on foot.
“We could see that some people were walking, desperate to flee Lebanon, and so they walked actually through that destroyed road,” she continued.
As the crisis deepens, UN agencies are urgently calling for increased international support to address the escalating humanitarian needs and safeguard vulnerable populations throughout Lebanon.
