Escalating Mideast violence deeply concerns UN chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the events unfolding in Lebanon, and continues to reiterate his call for de-escalation, a cessation of hostilities.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Amid escalating regional violence and reports of an imminent Israeli invasion of Lebanon, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday is deeply concerned over the humanitarian impact on civilians.

"The secretary-general remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the events that are unfolding in Lebanon," said his chief spokesman, Stephane Dujarric. "He continues to reiterate his call for de-escalation, a cessation of hostilities."

Dujarric said Guterres and his senior staff are in contact with regional UN representatives who continue to engage with all actors and all parties to appeal for diplomatic avenues to be given space.

On the peacekeeping end, UN peacekeepers monitoring the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, remain in position.

However, the spokesman said that while the peacekeepers remain in their area of responsibility, the intensity of fighting prevents their movements and ability to undertake their mandated tasks, such as going out on patrols.

Dujarric said civilians continue to bear the brunt of the escalation of violence with a devastating human toll that keeps growing, prompting UN officials to prepare a new Flash Appeal for humanitarian funding, expected to be announced on Tuesday. It will mobilize additional resources for Lebanon to meet the growing needs of about 1 million people impacted by the increasing crisis.

No target amount has been announced.

"In the meantime, we, along with our partners in Lebanon are working closely with the Lebanese government to assess the needs and to support the response," Dujarric said.

The World Food Programme said it recently reached more than 65,000 people in shelters with food assistance.

The UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, said it opened seven emergency shelters, for more than 1,400 individuals and continues to provide critical health, sanitation and protection services to those who need it.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said 100,000 people have fled Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon to Syria. They are primarily Lebanese and Syrian nationals. UNHCR is at four crossing points on the Syrian side of the border, alongside local authorities and the Syrian Red Crescent, to support new arrivals.

The agency and its partners continue to provide core relief items to civilians, such as mattresses, blankets, sleeping mats, kitchen sets, jerry cans and solar lamps.

Dujarric said the United Nations notes with concern the claim by the Houthis that they launched missiles and drone attacks on Tel Aviv and Ashkelon in Israel in recent days.

It is also concerned about the airstrikes in and around the port of Hodeidah on Sunday, which Israel claimed responsibility in response to previous Houthi attacks on Israel.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it is concerned about the possible humanitarian impact in Yemen of the airstrikes on Sunday on infrastructure in the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Ras Issa, which serve as a lifeline for millions of people across the country.

OCHA warned that disruption to the flow of imports could have dire consequences for Yemen's population. Most imports of necessities -- including food and fuel -- arrive in Yemen through Hodeidah and Ras Issa.

The United Nations is working to verify reports of civilian casualties.

"The humanitarian community in Yemen is assessing the impact of the strikes, as well as priority areas for the response," OCHA said. "Our partners are currently supporting initial medical needs of people directly affected."

On the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Gaza and the West Bank, OCHA warns that without unimpeded humanitarian access, aid organizations are unable to adequately prepare for the impending rainy season, when people's needs grow further.

The office said that rain and flooding will only worsen the already dire living conditions in Gaza, raising the risk of health hazards, and may prompt further displacement of hundreds of thousands of people.

"Many of the 215 temporary learning spaces serving nearly 34,000 children in Gaza stand to be severely affected by flooding," OCHA said. "The UN and its humanitarian partners have developed a Winterization Plan to address the most critical needs of more than 2.1 million people in Gaza during the rainy season, which will be their second, given that we are close to the first year mark of the conflict."

The plan targets more than 850,000 people across nearly 50 neighborhoods in flood-prone areas. It requires 242 million U.S. dollars to improve shelter conditions, provide warm clothing and blankets and redirect floodwaters away from critical infrastructure and dumping sites, among other interventions.

However, OCHA said the plans could only be realized with the unimpeded entry of necessary humanitarian items into Gaza, adequate fuel and the facilitation of safe humanitarian movements between warehouses and distribution points. ■