“Many of these women have been forced to leave their homes.isolated from essential health services and forced to give birth in dangerous conditions, some even on the side of the road.”
The situation throughout Lebanon has worsened dramatically – and notably in the south, Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley – since war broke out across the Middle East, sparked by the Israeli-American attacks on Iran on February 28, Iranian counterattacks in many Gulf States, Hezbollah’s rocket fire into Israel, and Israeli airstrikes in response.
Blow in healthcare
According to UNFPA, 55 hospitals and clinics have been forced to close, either because they are in areas affected by Israeli mass evacuation orders“or because there has been direct damage to them”Ms Philipose added.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, has recorded daily rocket, missile and drone attacks against Israel and the occupied Golan from Lebanon and attacks with artillery, air and drone fire by Israeli soldiers, who have carried out “ground incursions of up to seven kilometers (4.3 miles) into Lebanon,” UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said.
Speaking by video from the force’s headquarters in Naqoura, near the Blue Line separating Lebanon from Israel, Ms. Ardiel highlighted a significant escalation on Wednesday night. That involved more than 100 projectiles “fired from Lebanese territory and more than 100 projectiles fired from Israel, as well as seven airstrikes within our area of operations.”
However, “things were calmer yesterday. We haven’t seen as much activity, and I haven’t seen any numbers since today, but I will say that here in Naqoura it has been pretty calm… however, it is a very volatile situation and anything can change at any time.”
Migrant vulnerability
As violence continues, the U.N. migration agency, IOM, warned that more than 822,000 people have so far been displaced within Lebanon alone, and that migrants are “particularly vulnerable” and have “nowhere to go,” said Mathieu Luciano, IOM Chief of Mission in Lebanon.
“Lebanon hosts 200,000 migrants. They come here in search of work and are particularly vulnerable,” he said from Beirut. “They come from Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Sudan, Bangladesh and other countries, and most of them worked in agriculture, construction and also as domestic workers, and the crisis has hit them hard. It left many with nowhere to go and depending on community organizations, churches, their embassies and NGOs for their safety.”
According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, more than 4.1 million people have been internally displaced in Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon and Pakistan since the start of the escalation.
Help to leave Iran
Inside Iran, the IOM said it has already helped migrants return home from Iran. “We have requests to help others. Right now, the barrier is the resources to be able to do that,” said David John, the agency’s Director of Movement, Resettlement and Career Pathways.
“So far, the figures being mentioned are that about 11,400 Iranians have crossed into Türkiye, while more than 24,600 Afghans have returned from Iran to Afghanistan. Both figures currently remain within the average daily crossings,” UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva.
The UN agency has found solutions to counter supply chain disruption caused by war. “Despite continued airspace closures and numerous temporary disruptions, UNHCR has been able to respond quickly,” Mr. Baloch explained. “Essential relief items are pre-positioned throughout the region, including Termiz in Uzbekistan, strategically close to Iran and several warehouses nationwide.”