UN Official: 1.4 Million People in Lebanon in Need of Urgent Humanitarian Assistance

SadaNews - The UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Lebanon, Imran Ridha, stated that food security in the country is deteriorating rapidly, with no less than 1.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Ridha explained during a press conference held by the United Nations office in Geneva via video link on Friday that the UN and the Lebanese government have launched a new appeal for funding to continue life-saving relief operations. He added that donors have provided approximately $185.9 million since the Israeli occupation aggression, which has allowed for urgent assistance to over 680,000 people during the first phase of the humanitarian response. The UN official indicated that the UN is currently requesting additional funding of $331.5 million to continue supporting 1.4 million people until August, raising the total funding needs to $639.9 million. He pointed out that recent months have seen a large number of casualties, recurring displacement of populations, and destruction of homes and essential services, noting that over 3,500 people have been killed and more than 10,000 others injured, while approximately one million people remain away from their homes. He confirmed that food security is experiencing rapid deterioration, and the communities he recently visited suffer from extensive destruction of infrastructure and basic services, emphasizing that some residents have been displaced multiple times. Ridha stressed the necessity of stopping the escalation in Lebanon and respecting international humanitarian law, protecting civilians, civilian infrastructure, relief workers, and health workers. Regarding the return of displaced persons, he clarified that many Lebanese returned to their areas after the ceasefire announcement, "but they were forced to be displaced again due to renewed tensions and security situations." He highlighted that "about 58,000 people were unable to return to their villages by the end of 2024 due to security risks or the destruction of their homes," suggesting that the current number may rise to at least 200,000 displaced persons within the country, possibly more, indicating the need to address a long-term displacement crisis.