Imran Riza, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon, is calling for “continuous international engagement and robust monitoring to establish stability” in the country following last week’s truce between Israel and Hezbollah, Al Jazeera reports.
“While the ceasefire offers a vital break, it remains delicate,” Riza said during a visit to the Nabatieh governorate, expressing concern over “violations in certain areas and ongoing tensions along the border”.
He said an estimated 600,000 displaced people are starting to return to their homes, with two-thirds of the figure heading to Nabatieh as well as South Lebanon governorate.
But the return process “is not without significant challenges”, Riza noted, as the two governorates have “experienced an overwhelming level of destruction, with tens of thousands of buildings either partially or completely destroyed”.
He went on to call for unhindered and swift humanitarian access, as well as sustained funding and donor support to help Lebanon recover.