Deeply alarmed

UN "deeply alarmed" by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, warns of “humanitarian emergency”

By Rupert Neate

The United Nations said Monday it was “deeply alarmed” by Israel’s increased strikes in Lebanon, and the World Food Program warned of a “deepening humanitarian emergency” in the country.

“We are deeply alarmed by the escalation in military activities across southern Lebanon and beyond,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said Monday. “We urge all actors to respect the cessation of hostilities and avoid further escalation.”

The UN’s World Food Program (WFP) said millions of people in Lebanon are facing a “critical combination” of mass displacement and soaring food prices.

“More than one million people remain displaced, while soaring prices, lost incomes and strained markets are pushing food further out of reach for vulnerable families,” the WFP said in a statement Monday. “WFP has rapidly scaled up its response nationwide, but the situation remains highly fragile.”

The WFP said it is helping an average of almost 150,000 people per day with hot meals, ready-to-eat rations and food parcels for families sheltering in displacement sites.

The humanitarian organization said its latest food security analysis shows some 1.24 million people — nearly one in four of the total Lebanese population — face acute food insecurity. “Displacement, rising food and fuel prices, market disruptions, and broader economic shocks are driving the crisis,” it warned.