“The situation on both sides of the Blue Line demands not only the greatest attention of the Council, but also their collective action to avoid an even worse crisis“, he stressed, describing the discussion as “urgent.”
Fletcher said the humanitarian toll has worsened dramatically. “During the last four weeks, More than 1,240 people have died… and another 3,500 have been injured.”he said, noting that women, children and first responders were among the dead.
‘Coercive displacement’
More than 1.1 million people were displaced in that time, including hundreds of thousands of children. “A cycle of coercive displacement is unfolding” he warned, and families were forced to flee repeatedly. “Displacement is not a solution, but a painful last resort… a temporary way to preserve dignity.”
He said civilians on both sides of the line live in fear, as rockets continue to be fired into northern Israel as Israeli strikes devastate parts of southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. Entire towns have been razed and vital infrastructure destroyed, including most of the bridges south of the Litani River.
“Civilians, wherever they are, in Israel and in Lebanon, must be protected,” Fletcher said, stressing that international humanitarian law requires distinction, proportionality and caution. “Health care, water and electricity… must also be preserved and always.”
Isolation grows
The impact on basic services is serious: hospitals and clinics are forced to close and schools become shelters. “Entire communities are increasingly isolated,” he added.
Despite the crisis, humanitarian agencies have expanded their operations and delivered millions of meals and essential supplies. But funding remains scarce. Of an emergency appeal of $308 million, only $94 million has been received so far.
Above all, Fletcher conveyed a direct message from those affected: “They want security. They want dignity. They want this to stop.”
He urged Council members to act decisively, raising tough questions about how civilians will be protected, how the international community should respond to mass displacement and how to prevent further political instability.
Addressing the Lebanese people, he offered a message of solidarity and determination: “Do not give up on the idea of Lebanon. If coexistence fails here, it will fail everywhere.”
“We have often said that we cannot allow Lebanon to fail,” he concluded. “Now is a true test of that promise.”
Killings of peacekeepers “should not have happened”
The emergency meeting was called by France after three Indonesian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were killed this week and several others were seriously injured in two separate incidents that occurred within a 24-hour period and amid a broader war in the region.
“These tragic events should not have happened”said U.N. peacekeepers chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who reported alongside Undersecretary-General Khaled Khiari and the U.N. aid chief.
UNIFIL is carrying out investigations to determine the circumstances of “the two abhorrent incidents”, but peacekeepers also face “a conflict”. Worrying increase in denials of freedom of movement and aggressive behavior”Mr. Lacroix reported.
“We say it clearly, and it has had to be said too often: peacekeepers should never be a target,” he emphasized.
“All acts that endanger peacekeepers must cease immediately…The inviolability of United Nations facilities must be respected.”
Meanwhile, UNIFIL is continually reassessing its deployment to mitigate risks and strengthen force protection. The mission remains in constant contact with the parties “to avoid misunderstandings, reduce conflicts and reduce tensions where possible.”
The support of the Council, ‘indispensable’
He stressed the critical need to support the parties in the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), which ended hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah two decades ago.
“In this exceptionally dangerous period, the Council’s strong and unified support for UNIFIL and its peacekeepers is not only important: it is indispensable,” he said.
“The women and men who serve under this mandate should know that this Council stands firmly behind them.”
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