The humanitarian affairs coordinator of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Lebanon, Shawky Amine Eddine, called, on Wednesday 15 July, on the European Union to continue paying attention to Lebanon, where the humanitarian situation “remains deeply concerning”.
“We urge you to keep Lebanon on the EU agenda. The humanitarian consequences of this conflict are significant. Assistance requirements for recovery will be extremely high. (…) Continued diplomatic attention, funding, and principled engagement are essential to preserve essential services, prevent further deterioration, and protect civilians”, he underlined by videoconference during a hearing of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights.
Based on information from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, as of 14 July, more than 4,300 people had been killed – including 135 medical staff – and more than 12,200 injured. According to a map published by the Israeli army, Israel occupies 620 km², or nearly 6% of Lebanon. More than one million Lebanese have been internally displaced since last March and half of them remain so.
Shawky Amine Eddine also called on the EU institutions “to continue to raise their voice in support of respect of international humanitarian law in Lebanon” and to include it systematically in their discussions on the country.
Since the start of the conflict, last March, the EU has mobilised €100 million in humanitarian aid for Lebanon. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)