Jan Egeland, the U.N.'s top humanitarian official on Sunday denounced the Israeli air strikes that have devastated Beirut and southern Lebanon, saying civilians were paying a "disproportionate price" in the attacks targeting Hezbollah strongholds.
Nearly one third of all casualties in the Lebanon-Israel conflict have been children, according to the United Nations’ emergency relief coordinator.
Most of the wounded could not be helped because roads and bridges had been cut by Israeli air strikes. Without a truce allowing aid agencies to begin the relief effort there would be a “catastrophe“.
Egeland appealed for safe passage for aid and said the United Nations would begin an international aid relief operation in the next few days. But he cautioned the fleet of trucks and ships that will bring in supplies need free access and security, which are lacking so far.
Israel has eased its blockade on Beirut's port to allow humanitarian supplies to pass through, but there appeared to be no letup in Israeli attacks on roads leading out of Beirut and along the route to Syria.
The World Health Organization said 600,000 people have been displaced by the hostilities. Lebanese Finance Minister Jihad Azour said close to 750,000 had fled their homes, nearly 20 percent of Lebanon's 4 million people.
[Excerpts of report by Lauren Frayer, Associated Press writer, and from the Irish Examiner]
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