In his speech, Guterres He warned that Lebanon is on the “brink of the abyss,” a situation that seems to be getting worse by the hour due to Israeli incursions.
The UN chief also said the situation in the Gaza Strip was “a permanent nightmare” that threatened the entire region and called for an “immediate ceasefire.”
“Gaza is a permanent nightmare that threatens to drag the entire region into chaos, starting with Lebanon,” “We are committed to ensuring that all Israelis are protected,” Guterres told the heads of state and representatives of the 193 countries of the UN, before calling on the international community to “mobilize for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas.”
Tens of thousands of people fled bombing in Lebanon, UN says
The UN on Tuesday expressed “extreme alarm” at “the violent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah” in Lebanon, where “tens of thousands” of people fled the violence at the beginning of the week.
“We are extremely concerned by the serious escalation of attacks we witnessed yesterday. [lunes]”Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes yesterday and tonight, and the number is still rising,” said a spokesman for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Matthew Saltmarsh, at a press conference in Geneva.
“This is a region that has already been devastated by war and a country that knows suffering all too well,” he added.
Israel bombed targets belonging to the pro-Iranian Islamist movement Hezbollah in Lebanon early Tuesday, the day after intense bombardments that left nearly 500 dead, and fueled fears of a major regional conflict almost a year after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas.
“The price paid by civilians is unacceptable and the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon is paramount. International humanitarian law must be respected. There is an urgent need to end hostilities,” said the UNHCR spokesperson.
“We are deeply alarmed by the violent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and call on all parties to immediately cease violence and ensure the protection of civilians,” said Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Source: Ambito
