Madam President, Excellencies,
Hell is breaking loose in Lebanon.
As I told the General Assembly yesterday, we should all be alarmed by the escalation.
Lebanon is at the brink.
Of course, the Blue Line has seen tensions for years.
But since October, exchanges of fire have expanded in scope, depth, and intensity.
Hizbullah and other non-state armed groups in Lebanon and the Israel Defense Forces have exchanged fire on an almost daily basis – with Hizbullah indicating that they would require a ceasefire in Gaza to cease hostilities.
The exchanges of fire have been in repeated violation of Security Council resolution 1701.
The daily use of weapons by non-State armed groups is in violation of Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701.
Lebanese sovereignty must be respected and the Lebanese state must have full control of weapons throughout Lebanese territory. We support all efforts to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Madam President,
Since October, nearly 200,000 people within Lebanon and over 60,000 from northern Israel have fled their homes.
Many lives have been lost.
All this must stop.
The communities of northern Israel and southern Lebanon must be able to return to their homes, and live in safety and security, without fear.
Madam President,
Since the emergency Council session on Lebanon on 20 September – in the wake of the remote detonation of pagers and hand-held radios used by Hizbullah across Lebanon – hostilities have escalated dramatically.
The past weekend saw heavy exchanges of fire endangering civilians on both sides of the Blue Line -- with Israel Defense Forces striking approximately 400 Hizbullah targets in Lebanon, while Hizbullah launched hundreds of missiles, rockets and drones into northern Israel.
Monday was the bloodiest day in Lebanon in a generation.
The Israel Defense Forces said that it struck some 1,600 Hizbullah targets.
Many civilians were killed, and many, many more were injured.
Since then, Israel continued its deadly strikes across Lebanon, including in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Hizbullah targets. Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported that 569 people were killed on Monday and Tuesday -- including 50 children and 94 women. Over 1,800 people were injured.
Lebanese authorities report a total of 1,247 deaths since October.
Two colleagues from UNHCR were among those killed in yesterday’s bombing.
Today, further strikes killed at least another 50 people and injured more than 200.
Meanwhile, roads are clogged as families desperately seek safety.
Many are stranded at the Beirut airport.
The Ministry of Interior of Lebanon has reported that over 90,000 people have fled southern and eastern Lebanon towards Beirut and the northwest, with 30,000 people in shelters.
At least $170 million are needed to respond to growing numbers of displaced and mounting humanitarian needs.
Madam President,
The people of Israel have endured also repeated attacks from Hizbullah and others.
According to Israeli officials, since last October, more than 8,300 rockets, around 1500 anti-tank missiles and hundreds of explosive unmanned aerial vehicles have targeted Israel -- with 49 Israeli deaths and hundreds injured.
Hizbullah continues to launch drone and increasingly high calibre missile and rocket attacks on military targets and residential areas in Israel.
Earlier today, they launched a ballistic missile targeting Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv.
The ongoing rocket attacks have injured several people in Israel, with homes and other structures damaged.
