Official: About 1 Million People Displaced by Recent Israeli Strikes in Lebanon
Around 1 million people have been displaced by Israeli attacks in Lebanon since Monday, Head of the Lebanon Crisis Observatory Nasser Yassin stated on Saturday.
“More than 100,000 have been officially registered, but many more — up to 250,000 — are estimated to be in formal and informal collective shelters,” he told CNN.
“We estimate four times as many have been directly affected and/or displaced outside the shelters,” Yassin, who serves as the country’s environment minister, added.
Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi stated that over 200,000 have been displaced inside Lebanon because of Israeli airstrikes.
“More than 50,000 Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon have now crossed into Syria fleeing Israeli airstrikes,” Grandi wrote on X.
“Relief operations are underway, including by UNHCR, to help all those in need, in coordination with both governments,” he added.
Head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini also reported widespread trauma among Lebanon’s displaced population, stemming from relentless bombardment and the uncertainty of ongoing Israeli offensives.
“We have opened seven shelters for the displaced, currently hosting 1,600 people, including Lebanese, Palestinians, and Syrians,” Lazzarini said.
He highlighted that for many of the displaced, this situation is a “re-lived trauma”, given Lebanon’s long history of repeated cycles of conflict.
Lazzarini also warned that an escalation of the war would only worsen the suffering of civilians.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Lebanon, “humanitarian needs have reached unprecedented levels that have exhausted current efforts and resources”, and additional support is urgently required.
