Lebanon is under military attack. For the past week, the country has endured a brutal campaign of violence at the hands of Israeli planes and artillery. The Lebanese government estimates that roughly 300 people have lost their lives since Israel began its attacks, which have essentially dismantled the public infrastructure of the country. In response to the request for a prisoner exchange by Hezbollah, Israel has launched an all-out war on the Lebanese people, inflicting far-reaching misery, and capturing the world’s attention. Read more about Bombs over Beirut
Secretary-General Kofi Annan called Thursday for an immediate halt to the escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia but said there were “serious obstacles to reaching a cease-fire.” Annan addressed members of the Security Council during a meeting on the situation in the Mideast at United Nations headquarters in New York. He condemned Israel’s “excessive use of force” and collective punishment of the Lebanese people, saying it had triggered a humanitarian crisis. He urged the members of the Security Council to take firm action towards ensuring peace and stability in the Middle East region as mandated by the Charter of the United Nations. Read more about Annan calls for immediate end to conflict
One week after the start of the latest armed hostilities in Lebanon, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is extremely concerned about the grave consequences that military action is still having on the civilian population. Hundreds of civilians have been killed or wounded, and it remains difficult to organize medical evacuations and to maintain health services. All across the country, large numbers of people are fleeing the conflict zones in dangerous circumstances. There has also been widespread destruction of public infrastructure. The first emergency supplies from the ICRC reached Lebanon on 18 July. Read more about As civilians bear the brunt of the armed conflict, the ICRC steps up its humanitarian action in Lebanon
The smell of displacement and poverty emanates from the Sanayeh Park ten meters before we reach it. At first sight, the children’s view, running after a flock of pigeons nibbling the bread crumbs, doesn’t tell that those children hadn’t have any sleep for days, after they have been ripped off from their little pillows and toys. Mahdi, a young kid at the age of six, complains, while devouring his “Mankousheh” (thyme sandwich), only from the mosquitoes and fleas that are biting his little body and the strong heat. His brother Ali, eight years old, looks more in control. He says firmly “our house is just below the bridge leading to the Airport, when Israel attacked us, we came here..” Read more about The Sanayeh Park: The Lawn are Mattresses and the Trees Ceiling
In one incident on Monday, Israeli missiles struck a convoy of trucks from the United Arab Emirates near the town of Zahleh as it approached Beirut from Syria, damaging or destroying three of the trucks, as well as four passenger vehicles. Washington Post and Agence France-Press reporters at the scene wrote that the trucks contained supplies of medicines, vegetable oil, sugar and rice. The Red Crescent Society of the United Arab Emirates (UAERC) said in a statement that the convoy contained medical supplies and medicines, as well as several ambulances. Read more about Israel must provide safe passage to relief convoys
Lebanon’s dream of 2006 as a record year for economic growth has in the space of a week turned into a nightmare. Israeli air strikes have brought its fast-growing economy to an almost complete standstill. With thousands of nationals and foreign workers evacuating, and more than 500,000 internally displaced people, a bleak scenario confronts the country’s workforce. “The direct losses are estimated to be nearly half a billion US dollars,” said Jihad Azoor, Lebanon’s Finance Minister. “But we have to read this number carefully because we have no way of assessing the situation fully to get an accurate estimate. And more losses occur by the hour.” Read more about Workforce morale at an all-time low
Hezbollah’s attacks in Israel on Sunday and Monday were at best indiscriminate attacks in civilian areas, at worst the deliberate targeting of civilians. Either way, they were serious violations of international humanitarian law and probable war crimes, Human Rights Watch said today. In addition, the warheads used suggest a desire to maximize harm to civilians. Some of the rockets launched against Haifa over the past two days contained hundreds of metal ball bearings that are of limited use against military targets but cause great harm to civilians and civilian property. Read more about HRW: Hezbollah rocket attacks on Haifa designed to kill civilians
Civilian deaths include dozens of children, with many more injured. The psychological impact is serious, as people, including children have witnessed the death or injury of loved ones and destruction of their homes and communities. In Lebanon alone, more than 200 people have been killed and more than 550 injured. Hundreds of thousands of people are reportedly internally displaced, with more than 30,000 finding refuge in schools and public gardens in and outside Beirut. The movement of medical supplies and ambulances to the affected areas is seriously curtailed. Read more about UNICEF and WHO on escalating violence in Lebanon and Israel
Oxfam International calls for urgent action from armed groups and the government of Israel to cease all military attacks. These attacks have resulted in the deaths and suffering of ordinary civilians on all sides of the conflict, and have led to a growing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and Gaza and increasing insecurity in Israel. All parties, together with the international community, must take immediate responsibility for upholding international humanitarian law and for intervening to ensure that civilians are protected from violence. Read more about Oxfam International: Urgent action on the worsening humanitarian crisis
Heavy exchanges of fire continued along the length of the Blue Line with increased intensity. Hezbollah continued to fire rockets from various locations in the south, and there was intensified shelling and aerial bombing of the south by the IDF. The continued hostilities are taking a heavy toll on the civilians caught in the cross fire, and on the civilian infrastructure. Two IDF ground incursions inside Lebanese territory were reported today. In the early morning, six tanks, one bulldozer, and two graders moved into the area south of the village of Alma Ash Shab, close to the Mediterranean coast, and withdrew to the Israeli side after a couple of hours. Read more about Lebanon: Impact of hostilities on UNIFIL troops
