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United Nations Aid Coordination Office, Ochaciting reports from Lebanese authorities that at least 13 people were also injured in various air raids and military activities in southern cities.
Between April 17 and 28 alone, 48 people were killed and 183 injured, bringing the total death toll since the escalation began on March 2 to more than 2,500 dead and more than 7,800 injured, according to the country’s health ministry.
Although the ceasefire has been extended, the situation remains “fragile and unstable,” OCHA said ongoing violence is hampering humanitarian access and recovery efforts.
Aid agencies have successfully carried out 100 aid missions to hard-to-reach areas through a UN-coordinated notification system, allowing some aid to reach communities under stress.
Hunger worsens in Lebanon
Insecurity, coupled with the economic impact of conflict, further worsens livelihoods, while rising costs and supply disruptions exacerbate food insecurity.
Estimates bear that out nearly a quarter of the population faces acute hunger.
A new alert from the UN-backed global food safety tracker IPC on Wednesday warned that the situation was deteriorating rapidly.
About 1.2 million people will face high levels of acute food insecurity between now and August.
“Behind every number are families who struggle to consistently meet their food needs,” UN World Food Program (WFP) said, while continuing to increase aid, together with its partners.
Public services are stretched
The humanitarian situation is getting worse due to displacement and fragile public services.
At one school-turned-shelter in Jdeideh, north of the city of Beirut, 377 people – about 90 families – live in cramped conditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) reported, highlighting pressure on basic infrastructure.
The UN health agency has been working with partners to strengthen medical treatment options including support for hospital blood banks to ensure life-saving transfusions in emergencies.
Diplomatic efforts continue
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to stabilize the country are underway.
UN Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert meets with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday to discuss efforts to consolidate the cessation of hostilities and advance stability, UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said.
He has also held talks with Israeli officials in recent days.
A United Nations Development Program worker surveys damage at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Conditions in Gaza are getting worse
In Gaza, humanitarian conditions are still worrying families facing overcrowded shelters, limited access to water and increasing health risks.
OCHA said a UN team and its partners who visited refugee sites in eastern Gaza City found about 600 families living in “harsh conditions,” sheltering in damaged buildings and tents with little access to clean water and almost no sanitation services.
Rodents and insects are widespread, increasing the risk of diseasewhile unprocessed waste and overcrowding worsen already difficult living conditions.
With few opportunities to earn a living, children are increasingly venturing into high-risk areas where Israeli troops remain deployed, collecting materials to sell, humanitarian agencies report.
Access constraints and insecurity continue to limit the delivery of aid, and emergency medical services are largely unavailable in many areas.
Hidden danger
This crisis is further exacerbated by the threat of unexploded ordnance, which continues to pose a deadly risk and hamper recovery.
According to United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), more than 1,200 people have been killed or injured by bombs in Gaza since October 2023. Nearly half of the victims were children.
Widespread contamination
Widespread contamination prevented many families from returning home safely and hampered humanitarian operations, as aid convoys risked exploding when trying to reach affected communities.
“Families cannot safely return to their homes to begin rebuilding their lives without the risk of finding explosives among the rubble.said Julius Van Der Walt, head of UNMAS in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
With around 1.9 million people forced to flee and 60 percent of the population homeless, the scale of destruction has hampered development in Gaza for decades, he added.
