UN refugee head urges for ceasefire in Lebanon, additional humanitarian assistance
Date
10/7/2024 9:00:30 AM
(MENAFN) During his visit to Beirut on Sunday, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi made a strong appeal for a cease-fire in Lebanon and called for increased international humanitarian support. He met with displaced families sheltered in local schools and highlighted their most urgent need — an immediate end to airstrikes, allowing them to safely return to their homes. Grandi emphasized that "a cease-fire in Lebanon is desperately needed" as the ongoing violence has created immense suffering and insecurity for civilians.
Grandi also held discussions with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati during his visit. The talks centered around the immense humanitarian needs of those affected by the ongoing conflict, with Grandi underscoring the overwhelming scale of the crisis and the critical importance of increasing international support. The Commissioner emphasized that the current level of assistance is far from adequate in addressing the rising number of displaced individuals and their urgent needs.
The day before his official meetings, Grandi had announced his arrival in Beirut via a statement, expressing his solidarity with civilians who have been impacted by Israeli airstrikes. He pledged that the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) would ramp up its humanitarian efforts in response to the crisis. The Commissioner reiterated the agency’s commitment to providing aid, while highlighting the pressing need for broader international cooperation to alleviate the suffering in Lebanon.
Looking ahead, Grandi’s mission will continue with a visit to Syria, where he plans to meet with both Syrian and Lebanese nationals who have fled the violence in Lebanon. This comes amid escalating airstrikes launched by Israel, which has justified its attacks as targeting Hezbollah forces. The situation worsened on October 1, when Israeli forces expanded their military operations with a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, further intensifying the humanitarian crisis.
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