NEW YORK CITY: Lebanon has become “a shadow of its former self,” as escalating hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel continue to exact devastating human and physical tolls, the UN’s top official in the country warned on Monday.
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN’s special coordinator for Lebanon, described a country that was buckling under the weight of sustained violence, mass displacement and deepening instability.
“Lebanon is a shadow of its former self,” she said, citing as evidence the widespread destruction across large parts of the country. Once vibrant communities have been reduced to rubble, she added, with entire areas now resembling ghost towns.
The humanitarian toll of the current crisis continues to climb. Three UN peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon in the past 24 hours alone. Earlier in the weekend, nine Lebanese paramedics lost their lives in a single day.
Since the latest escalation in Lebanon began on March 2, shortly after the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, at least 1,247 people have been killed. The victims include healthcare workers, journalists, civilians and Lebanese soldiers who were not engaged in combat.
