GENEVA: The United Nations warned on Friday that its flash appeal for humanitarian aid in Lebanon is only 17 percent funded, calling on donor countries to convert pledges into actual cash.
“We are facing a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN’s humanitarian agency, OCHA. He said that the rising needs cannot be met without immediate financial support, stating, “The pledge does not buy food, medicine, or shelter. We hope for a rapid disbursement.”
So far, only $73 million of the $426 million requested in the flash appeal has been received. The largest contributors include Italy with $17 million, the United States with $11.7 million, Sweden with $9.3 million, France with $7.2 million, Britain with $6.4 million, and Germany with $5.5 million.
France hosted a donor conference last month where countries pledged $800 million for humanitarian aid in Lebanon. Laerke stressed the urgency of converting these pledges into cash, as OCHA cannot deliver aid “unless the money flows fast.”
Since fighting escalated on September 23, following nearly a year of cross-border conflict with Hezbollah, at least 1,829 people have died in Lebanon, according to health ministry figures compiled by AFP.
Laerke said that more than 460,000 people have fled to neighboring Syria, while an additional 25,000 have sought refuge in Iraq. The UN migration agency also reported that 842,648 people remain displaced within Lebanon.
“In the past week, there have been 18,525 new displacements,” the International Organization for Migration added, highlighting that some may be experiencing displacement for the first time or undergoing secondary movements.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed deep concern on Friday regarding Israeli attacks targeting healthcare workers and facilities in Lebanon amid the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.
WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris reported a troubling rise in violence, stating, “We have recorded 102 deaths and 83 injuries among health workers in such attacks.”
Harris said that 55 attacks have been verified, but the Ministry of Health suggests the actual numbers are higher, as many healthcare workers are harmed while off duty. She highlighted that the healthcare system in Lebanon is already under significant strain
