Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Despite a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, civilians in southern Lebanon and parts of the Bekaa Valley continue to live in fear, with many forced to flee their homes, according to Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR Representative in Lebanon. She noted that some displaced people are not permitted to return by Israeli forces controlling southern areas. Since April 17, at least 380 deaths have occurred despite the ceasefire, with extensive damage to homes and public infrastructure impacting hundreds of thousands across the country.
Ms. Lindholm Billing described families attempting to return to Nabatieh and Tyre only to find their homes destroyed, leaving them in collective shelters with uncertain futures. One man shared a photo of his demolished home and now sleeps on the floor in shared shelter space.
Tommaso Della Longa, spokesperson for the IFRC, highlighted the risks faced by Lebanese Red Cross volunteers, who request protection while conducting ambulance missions. He stated that volunteer paramedics often say goodbye to one another, uncertain if they will return safely. In two months, two paramedics—Youssef Assaf and Hassan Badawi—have died while responding to emergencies in southern Lebanon. Mr. Della Longa said that despite international humanitarian law protections and protective equipment, these volunteers were still killed.
The ongoing conflict between Hezbollah fighters and Israel, triggered in early March, has uprooted approximately 1.8 million people in Lebanon, creating significant humanitarian challenges.