UN warns mass displacement accelerating in Lebanon amid escalating conflict

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned Wednesday that mass displacement in Lebanon is accelerating rapidly as ongoing hostilities force hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, Anadolu reports.

“Mass displacement is accelerating, with over 750,000 people now registered with the Government of Lebanon as on the move,” Fletcher told an emergency session of the UN Security Council in a virtual briefing.

He said nearly 84,000 Syrians and more than 8,000 Lebanese have crossed into Syria since March 2.

Fletcher said the humanitarian crisis has intensified quickly after months of violence, with casualties continuing to rise.

“Over 570 people reported killed, and over 1,400 injured since 2 March,” he said.

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Large movements of displaced people into densely populated urban areas are overwhelming shelter capacity, Fletcher said. More than 120,000 people — including thousands of children — are now staying in 580 collective shelters.

“This is a moment of grave peril for Lebanon, and for the region. For all of us. Too many warning lights are flashing. Actions have consequences,” he said.

Fletcher warned that Lebanon’s history and fragile situation make it particularly vulnerable to global instability.

“When the world turns away from international law and human solidarity, Lebanon shakes,” he said.

“And when leaders feel unrestrained, and the rules are in retreat … then Lebanon shakes.”

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