UN warns about growing 'number of displaced people' in Lebanon

​​​​​​​By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN warned on Tuesday about a growing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, with increasing numbers of displaced people following Israel's evacuation orders in 30 villages in southern Lebanon.

Noting that UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) personnel continue to carry out their duties despite the dangerous developments, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric warned that "without sufficient resources, humanitarians risk leaving the population of an entire country without support they all urgently need."

Citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Dujarric said the number of displaced individuals in Lebanon is expected to rise as the Israeli army continues to issue evacuation orders, affecting 30 villages in southern Lebanon.

He confirmed that "over 100,000 people have now moved from Lebanon into Syria, and over 200,000 people have been displaced from southern Lebanon."

Asked if Israel's attacks on Lebanon violate UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Dujarric said: "The incursions that we've seen by the Israelis are violations of Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity and are in contravention of the Resolution of 1701," which was adopted Aug. 11, 2006, that demands a cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and the establishment of a demilitarized zone between the Blue Line -- the de facto boundary between Lebanon and Israel -- and the Litani River, allowing only the Lebanese army and UNIFIL to possess weapons and military equipment in the area.

"The continued strikes by Hezbollah across the Blue Line and other non-state armed groups also violations of 1701," he added.

Asked about Israel’s right to self-defense, Dujarric responded: “Every country in this region seems to be defending itself in one way or another. What we want to see is a de-escalation and a return to a cessation of hostilities.”

Dujarric also said there has been no call for UN personnel to leave Lebanon at this time, and UNIFIL and other personnel are continuing their duties.

- 1.4 million Gazans unable to receive food aid: UN

On Gaza, Dujarric reported that monthly food aid for 1.4 million people in Gaza could not be distributed due to a lack of resources.

He noted that Israeli air, land and sea attacks on the Gaza Strip are ongoing, and civilian deaths and displacement continue.

On medical evacuations, Dujarric noted that eight people, including seven children, were evacuated from Gaza on Monday to Romania for specialized medical care.

"UN health partners report that an estimated 12,000 patients have not been evacuated since the closure of Rafah last May, and still need to be evacuated," he added.