Ceasefire in Lebanon: displaced communities begin to return home
“Shortly after the ceasefire took effect at 4 a.m., people in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Bekaa (valley) began returning,” the UN refugee agency said. many months forced to relocate. UNHCR. “Traffic is heavy [was] observed on the highway from Beirut southwards since early this morning.”
The development comes after months of relatively low-level fighting along the United Nations-patrolled Green Line that separates Lebanon’s armed militants Hezbollah from Israel, escalating into a full-blown war. in September, killing thousands of civilians and forcing more than 886,000 people to flee their homes. United Nations migration agency, IOM.
Aid convoy to thousands of people in Baalbek
Amid plummeting temperatures, UNHCR reported that 11 agency trucks delivered emergency relief supplies to 3,100 people in the eastern city of Baalbek, including blankets, mattresses, winter coats, plastic sheets, lamps solar power and sleeping mat.
“We will continue to work closely with local authorities and partners to provide the necessary support to those affected to help them stay warm and safe during the winter,” the agency said. This”. “We will continue to provide essential support as displaced people rebuild their lives after suffering loss and devastation.”
Recalling the words of the Secretary General of the United Nations donate for the ceasefire agreement, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the “chaos and loss” suffered by countless non-combatants across Lebanon.
Committed to peace
“Urgent work must now begin to ensure this peace is maintained,” she said. “Children and families must be able to return safely to their communities, especially those displaced in shelters and host communities. The protection of children and their families must be at the heart of all efforts to stabilize the situation and support recovery.”
Safe and unhindered humanitarian access must also be guaranteedMs. Russell emphasized, “to provide life-saving aid and services…especially in south Lebanon, where the need is very urgent.”
Tedros: A call to action
Also welcoming the ceasefire, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) General Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus call to do so immediately, stressing that the war has been “exceptionally devastating” for Lebanon’s health system.
According to UNICEF, more than two million children are out of school because the war has destroyed homes and hospitals, and many are forced to leave without access to health care and other basic services.
“This ceasefire is an opportunity not only to end the violence but to chart a path forward that prioritizes the safety and well-being of children and families,” Ms. Russell said. “We call on all parties to maintain their commitments, respect international law and cooperate with the international community to maintain peace and ensure a brighter future for children.”
The siege of North Gaza lasted 50 days
Meanwhile in Gaza, not a day passes without bombing and drone reconnaissance flights over devastated communities weary from more than 13 months of war, the Federal agency said. The United Nations for Palestinian Refugees said. UNRWA.
In a new alert on Wednesday, UNRWA reported that several northern areas of the enclave have been under siege for more than 50 days, while missions to the north from Gaza City continue to be denied grants. permission.
Across the Gaza Strip, the United Nations aid coordination office, OCHAwarns of “clear new signs of rapidly deteriorating nutritional status”.
According to the latest nutrition data from Gaza, between November 1 and 23, 3,410 children were hospitalized for treatment of acute malnutrition. From July to October, a monthly average of 4,700 children were admitted for treatment. This number accounts for 67% of the 32,817 cases received since the beginning of the year.
Even more worrying, aid groups have observed a “significant increase” in the number of children admitted to hospital with severe acute malnutrition. Teenagers already have clear signs of fluid retention or edema, which is a telltale sign of severe hunger.
