TPC Staff
The Palestine Chronicle / September 30, 2024
“Lebanon is experiencing the largest wave of displacement in its history.”
Some 100,000 Lebanese and Syrian nationals have fled from Lebanon to Syria amid the ongoing Israeli strikes, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has said.
“The number of people who have crossed into Syria from Lebanon fleeing Israeli airstrikes — Lebanese and Syrian nationals — has reached 100,000. The outflow continues,” Filippo Grandi said on X on Monday.
“UNHCR is present at four crossing points alongside local authorities and @SYRedCrescent to support new arrivals,” Grandi added.
He earlier highlighted that “Some are Syrians who fled war in their country, now to be bombed in the country where they sought refuge. The region cannot afford a new displacement crisis.”
‘Diplomatic efforts’
On Sunday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that around one million people have been displaced due to Israeli attacks, marking the largest wave of displacement in the country’s history, the Anadolu news agency reported.
“Lebanon is experiencing the largest wave of displacement in its history,” he told a press conference following a meeting of the government’s emergency committee in Beirut.
“Our priority is to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression through continued diplomatic efforts. We have no other choice,” Mikati noted.
The Israeli army has pounded Lebanon since Sept. 23, killing at least 816 people and injuring over 2,500, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
Intensified fighting
Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, on October 7, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah has engaged directly, but relatively in a limited way in the war against the Israeli occupation.
In recent weeks, however, the intensity of the fighting has increased, leading to concerns that an all-out war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army is imminent.
Israel has occupied parts of Lebanon for decades and has only left the country in 2000, following stiff Lebanese resistance under Hezbollah’s leadership.
Israel attempted to re-occupy Lebanon in 2006 but failed in what Lebanon considers a major victory against Israel.
Israel, however, continues to occupy parts of Lebanon, namely the Sheeba Farms region.
Hezbollah has vowed to recover every inch of Lebanon that has been occupied by Israel contrary to international law.
