The UN chief’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, issued a statement on his behalf, calling for an end to this cycle of violence. And called on all parties to come back from the brink of destruction.
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has been ongoing since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas and other extremist groups in southern Israel and subsequent Israeli retaliatory actions in the Gaza Strip.
Shelling took place along the Blue Line, the border line separating southern Lebanon and Israel. But a few days ago, a large number of pagers and communication devices exploded in Lebanon, causing casualties among members of the Hezbollah group, prompting Israel to launch rocket attacks.
Following this, the Israeli military launched a deadly offensive in Lebanon, killing hundreds and displacing thousands from their homes. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrullah was reportedly killed in an Israeli strike on Friday.
Secretary-General Guterres said the people of Lebanon, Israel and the wider region cannot afford to risk full-scale war.
He called on all parties to fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and end the conflict.
Resolution 1701 was passed in 2006, aimed at ending the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. It calls for a cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.
Secretary-General Guterres reiterated his call for the immediate implementation of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the immediate release of all hostages without conditions.
Thousands of victims of displacement
Israeli attacks on Beirut have triggered a new wave of mass displacement. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expanded the scope of its refugee assistance campaign to provide assistance to families affected by displacement.
Emergency relief materials have been distributed to more than 5,000 people. Large numbers of people are moving from Lebanon to the Syrian border area. More than 125,000 people have been displaced from their homes in the last one week.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), these include women, children and the elderly, who arrived after hours of travel without food or water.
battle spear
There are also Palestinian refugees who have been forced to flee their homes by Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
In the current situation, the United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) is engaged in providing assistance to the poor.
Following this, seven emergency shelters have been operated in different parts of the country, where more than one and a half thousand people have taken shelter. These include Lebanese citizens and Palestinian and Syrian refugees.
UN Commissioner General Filipe Lazzarini said a large number of people are suffering from trauma due to continuous bombings, uncertainty and fear. He warned that if the war widens, it will cause massive suffering for civilians.
In view of this, he emphasized that protection of civilians must be ensured and infrastructure and civilian installations should never be targeted.