BEIRUT, July 18: The humanitarian situation in Lebanon is ‘catastrophic’ with 500,000 people displaced by the Israeli onslaught, the Beirut representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), Roberto Laurenti, said on Tuesday.

“The situation is both alarming and catastrophic. There are about 500,000 people displaced already. The situation is extreme,” he said.

“We are also particularly concerned about the situation of the people who are stranded at home, in schools or in hospitals in the south,” which has borne the brunt of the massive offensive launched last Wednesday.

Mr Laurenti expressed concern about dwindling food and medical supplies in Lebanon, which has been nearly cut off from the outside world since Israel imposed a sea and air blockade and hit roads leading to the borders last week.

He said Unicef had allocated 7.5 million dollars to bring in supplies, but added that it was experiencing huge difficulties in the face of the persistent Israeli bombardment.

“We are trying to organise humanitarian corridors to bring in the food, medical and other supplies which we have already requested to be brought from Amman and Copenhagen, but we are facing enormous problems.

“The road to Damascus is becoming more and more difficult by the bombardment,” he said.

“We are trying to see if we can bring them in from the sea or by some other means.”

He said the displaced ‘mostly sought refuge at the homes of family and friends in safer areas, with about 55,000 who have taken refuge at schools or public gardens’.

“We are concerned about their conditions, especially because of electricity cuts, lack of water, lack of food and medical supplies which could lead to illness,” he said.

He said the displaced also included ‘tens of thousands who fled to Syria and have been stranded in schools there’.—AFP