UN: Middle East conflict hampers shipping and aid delivery
New York (ANTARA) – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the conflict in the Middle East is having a severely detrimental impact, including hindering shipping and the movement of aid supplies. OCHA, on Wednesday (4 March), noted that the disruptions are limiting the movement of aid workers and threaten to worsen food insecurity in many affected areas. OCHA said Lebanese authorities reported more than 50 dead and hundreds injured in the past two days due to intensified Israeli strikes. Israel has struck southern Lebanon, Baalbek, the Chouf region, and the outskirts of southern Beirut, causing additional fatalities and significant damage. Three paramedics were killed and six others injured while responding to the effects of air strikes on Tuesday (3 March).
“Civilians continue to flee, often with only the clothes they are wearing and the belongings they can carry. Since the conflict began, at least 80,000 people have sought refuge in collective shelters, according to local authorities. But that figure represents only a fraction of the total number of people displaced,” OCHA said. Evacuation orders remain in force, including one issued on Wednesday covering the entire Litani River valley, home to hundreds of thousands of residents.
“Humanitarian partners are working closely with national and local authorities. Rapid response teams are assessing needs and delivering emergency supplies to affected areas and in collective shelters. So far, partners working on food security have distributed hot meals to more than 20,000 refugees and ready-to-eat meals to more than 15,000 people,” OCHA said.
OCHA added that their health partners, together with Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, are providing medicines and expanding mobile primary health services at shelters and elsewhere. In addition, partners in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are supporting the continuous operation of wastewater and essential water treatment facilities, including supplying fuel.
In Gaza, as aid workers push to lift restrictions on aid deliveries, OCHA reported that humanitarian movement coordination with Israeli authorities at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing has resumed amid the Middle East conflict. OCHA continued that its partners had coordinated three missions to the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing on Wednesday to collect aid cargo and monitor operations there. OCHA emphasised that more crossings must be opened so that flows of supplies, including fuel, can reach Gaza safely and predictably, enabling aid agencies to scale up humanitarian operations.