UN humanitarian agencies warn of flight from Lebanon

UN officials said tens of thousands fled newly intensified air strikes, adding to more than 110,000 people displaced since October 2023; humanitarian agencies mobilised shelters and supplies.

The UN reported that Israeli strikes had caused hundreds of deaths in a day, with tens of thousands newly displaced. These were provisional figures cited from Lebanese authorities.

UN briefing cited Lebanese authorities reporting nearly 600 deaths in the recent escalation, including children and women, and damage to water infrastructure affecting access to clean water.

HRW documented the dramatic escalation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon, Hezbollah rocket launches and risks to civilians, calling for compliance with international humanitarian law.

The UN described a catastrophic escalation, with large-scale displacement, damage to infrastructure and emergency funding allocations for relief operations.

UN Special Coordinator warned that Israeli incursions across the Blue Line and strikes throughout Lebanon were driving further escalation and undermining resolution 1701.

The UN Special Coordinator warned that strikes and ground incursions were deepening the conflict and called for a diplomatic solution under Resolution 1701.

A joint UN mission including OCHA, WFP and UNICEF reached Tyre with food, water and hygiene supplies for people affected by the fighting, as subsequently reported in the October 8 briefing.

The UN reported more than 600,000 internally displaced people identified by IOM, with many schools serving as collective shelters. Humanitarian access to Tyre remained difficult.

OCHA reported Lebanese estimates exceeding one million displaced people, with IOM identifying over 600,000 internally displaced people as of that date.