ALBAWABA - As Israeli military operations in the area intensify, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has announced that over 200,000 people have been forced to flee southern Lebanon.
UNRWA announced in a statement that it has begun an emergency response to support Palestinians who are in need of protection amid escalating hostilities between Israeli troops and Hezbollah, which began on October 8, 2023. To assist individuals escaping the violence, the organization has set up three shelters in Sidon.
UNRWA drew attention to the dire situation of displacement in southern Lebanon, pointing out that the inflow of displaced people in Sidon has resulted in shortages of basic supplies including drinking water and food.
UNRWA said that between October 2023 and September 24, 2024, almost 200,000 people were forcibly removed from their homes in southern Lebanon, using statistics from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Between October 2023 and September 17, 2024, 111,656 people were displaced; between September 17 and September 24, 90,530 more people were affected.
The Israeli military and Hezbollah have been fighting in controlled skirmishes since October 8. Israel began hundreds of airstrikes on southern Lebanese towns, the Bekaa valley, and the Baalbek region on September 23.
According to Lebanese officials, the current increase in airstrikes has resulted in 748 fatalities, and the continuous bombing has forced approximately 150,000 people to flee their homes.
Though no major damage has been reported on the Israeli side, Hezbollah has responded with missile attacks on Israeli military positions in southern and eastern Lebanon.
A significant number of individuals are escaping from southern Lebanon to Beirut and other northern areas as a result of the ongoing displacement issue. As the crisis worsens, stories of refugees entering Syria have also surfaced.
