Israel’s evacuation orders now impact more than a quarter of Lebanon’s territory, affecting over a million displaced people, according to Rema Jamous Imseis, the UN refugee agency’s Middle East Director.
Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, she highlighted the severity of the situation as Israeli military strikes continue against Hezbollah in Lebanon, part of the ongoing Northern Arrows military operation launched by Israel on September 23.
Jamous Imseis noted that 20 additional villages in southern Lebanon were evacuated on October 14.
Lebanon’s total population is approximately 5 million, meaning that the displaced now account for over one million people, many of whom are left without shelter and essential resources.
The UN official stressed the urgency of the humanitarian crisis, describing it as “dramatic,” with growing needs that cannot be addressed without a ceasefire.
Israel’s stated aim is to secure the northern border, allowing displaced Israeli civilians to return home, after the widespread military campaign targeting Hezbollah and the September 27 killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. On October 1, Israel began a ground operation in southern Lebanon.
