UNHCR chief issues urgent aid appeal to stem humanitarian catastrophe in Lebanon
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called for increased international assistance to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, following intensified Israeli airstrikes and a limited ground incursion targeting Hezbollah militants. UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi described the situation as a "humanitarian catastrophe" and urged for an immediate ceasefire.
Lebanese health authorities report over 2,000 deaths and nearly 10,000 injuries since Israel launched its offensive against Hamas in Gaza a year ago. The situation worsened last month when Hezbollah's leader was killed, prompting Israel to expand its bombing campaign throughout Lebanon. This escalation follows Iran's missile attacks on Israeli cities, amid ongoing rocket fire across the UN-monitored Blue Line, which has led to mass evacuations on both sides.
Grandi, who visited Beirut on Saturday, stressed the dire impact on civilians, with hundreds of thousands displaced and urgent humanitarian needs rising. He emphasized that international humanitarian law must be upheld and condemned the devastating toll on Lebanese communities. Grandi urged immediate international action to assist those displaced, noting that families are stranded, homeless, and struggling to survive amid continuous airstrikes.
UNHCR has reported that over a million people have fled their homes in the past two weeks. Government-run shelters are overwhelmed, and relief supplies are being disrupted due to the ongoing conflict. Grandi met with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati and other senior officials, as well as displaced families, to assess the situation and coordinate further aid.
Grandi stated, "This war is taking a tragic toll on communities. Families are desperate for safety and for the airstrikes to stop. The world must step up to provide urgent help. This is not just a humanitarian duty, it’s a moral imperative."
Yemen's air force carried out 20 strikes on Houthi targets earlier on Friday, Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, Spokesman for t...
The European Space Agency (ESA), Airbus and European partners have put a six-wheeled Mars rover prototype through its paces in Spain’s Tabern...
Azerbaijan won 22 medals, including seven gold, at the Mingachevir Regatta 2026 as more than 100 young rowers from 12 countries competed in the int...
Yemen's air force carried out 20 strikes on Houthi targets earlier on Friday, Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, said. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthis denied targeting a power plant supplying energy to a mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel may participate in the investigation into a serious incident aboard a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, while investigators examine the motive of the co-pilot involved.
Swiss glaciers lost more than 5 per cent of their ice in 2026, making it one of their worst years on record as a dry winter and repeated heatwaves accelerated melting across the Alps.
Passengers from a flydubai flight that was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an alleged attempt to crash the aircraft have arrived safely in Israel.
Russia has warned NATO that it would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to isolate Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, according to a diplomatic document seen by Reuters.
A retired Australian builder has arrived in Baku in his 1929 Pontiac Roadster during an epic journey from Bangkok to Istanbul, using the nearly century-old car to raise money for Parkinson’s research.
Around 400 schools across France remained closed on Friday as protests over teacher shortages and deteriorating buildings escalated into violence, leaving dozens injured and leading to 2,000 arrests.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow wanted to end the war in Ukraine through negotiations as soon as possible, while insisting that any settlement must meet conditions acceptable to Russia and include security guarantees.
The family of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen fatally shot by an immigration agent in Minneapolis in January, has sued the Trump administration, accusing federal officials of excessive force and unconstitutional conduct.
Ukraine is working to resolve a diplomatic dispute with South Korea after Kyiv publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Thursday, 1 October.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment