The number of people displaced countrywide due to ongoing Israeli attacks has been estimated by the government at 65,000, with most seeking shelter in Beirut and in the north of the country. “The last update we have from the authorities suggests 65,000 people could be displaced,” said Hicham Hassan, spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Beirut. “But thousands of people are on the move to other areas and it’s difficult to track.” … “People are stranded and villages in the south are isolated from one another and the rest of the country.” Read more about Numbers of displaced peoples rise as attacks continue 

The head of a three-member United Nations team dispatched to the Middle East to defuse the growing crisis said today in Beirut they had made “some promising first efforts” following high-level discussions with Lebanon’s Government, but he stressed there was much diplomatic work ahead and the consequences of failure could be grave. “I can announce today that we have made some promising first efforts on the way forward. My team has discussed concrete ideas with the Government of Lebanon. We leave shortly for Israel, where we will convey these ideas for further discussion,” Vijay Nambiar told reporters. Read more about UN team leader cites 'promising first efforts' but says much work remains 

The United Nations Security Council should discuss a package of practical actions aimed at stemming the spiraling violence in the Middle East, as well as the possibility of a new stabilization force for the region, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today following meetings with the Group of 8 countries in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he also called on the parties to avoid civilian casualties. Mr. Annan said the team he dispatched to the region – led by Vijay Nambiar and including Terje Roed-Larsen and Alvaro de Soto – would report to the Security Council on its return. Read more about Security Council should discuss possible stabilization force for Middle East – Annan  

Apart from a few mattresses, some clothes and a water pipe, the classroom on the third floor of the Karm al-Zeytun primary school is empty. Chairs and tables stand piled up outside, forming a makeshift home for Hussein Nuridin and his family. Nuridin fled south Beirut on Sunday, his family having left before him. He initially wanted to keep an eye on his house, he explained, but the Israeli bombardment of the area became so intense that he says he had no choice but to leave. “They bombed a Hizbullah agricultural cooperative and some 40 other buildings on my street alone,” he said. “They’re using vacuum bombs, one of which is enough to destroy an entire building.” Read more about Displaced receive aid, but concern remains for those stuck in south 

Local health workers say they face difficulties reaching the injured in southern Lebanon following furious Israeli artillery barrages and air strikes that came in response to the 12 July kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hizbullah. “We’re cooperating with NGOs and other humanitarian associations to help us cope with the situation,” Minister of Health Muhammad Jawad Khalifa told IRIN. “But we’re experiencing difficulties in accessing affected areas to help the injured.” Khalifa added that 175 deaths and 500 injuries had been reported since the bombing began on 12 July. Dr Abdel Rahim Hennawi, director of the Hammoud Medical Centre in Sidon, 45 km south of Beirut, expressed particular concern about the lack of dialysis treatment. Read more about Amid attacks, health workers warn of waning supplies 

As a team of senior United Nations official meets with the parties on the ground in an effort to end the explosion of violence in Israel and Lebanon, Security Council members are actively searching for a lasting solution to crisis, according to its July President, Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sablière of France. “What is important for the Council is to work on a contribution for a sustainable solution,” Ambassador de la Sablière told reporters following closed consultations of the 15-member body that included briefings by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari and Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jane Holl Lute. Read more about UN Security Council working on 'lasting solution' to violence in Lebanon 

With access to medical care, water, sanitation and other heath necessities in Lebanon severely limited by Israeli attacks, United Nations humanitarian agencies have stepped up preparations for a coordinated, regional response to the crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today. “Access to health care for injured and patients with chronic conditions is a major concern,” according to WHO’s first situation report from the country since Israel’s reaction to a 12 July cross-border Hizbollah attack. In addition, the agency said that impaired power supplies have limited water and sanitation services, and that food, shelter and health services must be ensured for the displaced population. Read more about UN humanitarian agencies prepare for health impact of crisis in Lebanon