Lebanon’s fragile ceasefire is being tested by renewed fighting and worsening humanitarian conditions, while United Nations (UN) relief teams in Gaza continue to call for sustained access and civilian protection, according to a press release by UN News. Over the weekend, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observed intensive Israeli military activity, including extensive airstrikes near several villages and continued naval operations off the coast of Naqoura. Drone activity was also reported nearby, including drones reportedly operated by Hezbollah militants. Civilians remain displaced, services are under pressure, and aid cuts are compounding the crisis. The developments highlight the deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions across the region.
On Friday, UNIFIL patrols faced restrictions near Al Bayyada, where Israeli tanks blocked the road. Another UNIFIL position was impacted by machine gun fire, with one round hitting a UN vehicle parked inside a compound. “We reiterate once again that our peacekeepers must never be targeted, and their safety and security must be guaranteed at all times by all parties,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at his regular press briefing in New York. Despite the insecurity, UN peacekeepers facilitated an aid convoy of around 30 trucks to the border town of Rmeich, where approximately 7,000 residents remain. Conditions in the area were described as difficult and dangerous.
Lebanese authorities reported that 13 people – including one child and four women – were killed, and 32 injured in strikes across southern Lebanon on Sunday. More than 124,000 people are now sheltering in 625 schools and public buildings. New displacement orders issued in 11 towns in Nabatieh were followed by airstrikes, forcing additional families to flee. Some residents attempting to return home have instead gone back to shelters after finding their houses destroyed or inaccessible. UN agencies and partners describe the situation as “highly volatile,” particularly in southern areas.
Health services are severely constrained, with three hospitals and 41 primary healthcare centers remaining non-operational, while several others are only partially functioning. Health officials warn of rising complications, avoidable deaths, and a growing healthcare crisis if gaps are not addressed. In Gaza, the UN’s top relief official Tom Fletcher said aid teams continue to work “strenuously to help Palestinians in Gaza,” but need “sustained access, the protection of civilians, neutrality and partnership.” Last week, humanitarian partners delivered tents, bedding, and other emergency supplies to nearly 4,500 households. Improved emergency shelters were installed in the devastated southern area around Khan Younis.
Aid workers report rising cases of skin diseases and other illnesses linked to pests and poor living conditions in Gaza. More than 6,600 people require prosthetic and rehabilitation care, including thousands of civilians who have had limbs amputated since the violence erupted in October 2023. Only eight prosthetic technicians are currently on hand in Gaza. Humanitarian partners note that 20 percent of amputees are children and warn it could take five years or more to address current needs due to chronic shortages. The scale of need underscores the urgency of sustained humanitarian access across the Middle East.
