Update Middle East - EU sending humanitarian aid to Lebanon as situation deteriorates
Reports from relief agencies indicate over 300 people have died in Lebanon, with over 860 wounded. Missile attacks by Hezbolah into Israel have reportedly caused thirteen deaths.
In Lebanon more than 70,000 people have reportedly been evacuated to other areas of Beirut. The clashes have increased tension throughout the region, with a disproportionate impact on the general population in Lebanon, creating a humanitarian crisis and considerable fear that is provoking mass population movements to Syria for those seeking shelter, safety, or humanitarian relief assistance. In the past week Syria has received 90,000 refugees. According to UN sources there may be as many as 400 000 refugees. That figure is expected to grow. Furthermore, the limited access of relief organisations to the region is a major problem. Foreign nationals from other countries caught up in the hostilities are being evacuated by plane and ship to nearby locations, including Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, and other countries. As tens of thousands of Europeans who lived and worked in Lebanon on the reconstruction of Lebanon are forced to leave, following the destructive Israeli bombing, the European Commission anounced that it had allocated 34 million euros (43 million dollars) in humanitarian aid to people in need in the strife-hit Palestinian territories as well as in Lebanon. The funds are to be used to deliver food, provide badly-needed jobs and health support, as well as water and sanitation services, the EU's executive body said in a statement. EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said "The rising internal insecurity resulting from the worsening humanitarian situation, and Israeli movement restrictions, make access for humanitarian operations more difficult." EU funds to Lebanon will also be used to help people in refugee camps by providing legal aid, job training and other assistance, the commission said.
The Greek Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that a C-130 military transport plane will fly medical supplies to Lebanon today. Greece said that the aid was being sent in response to a request from the Lebanese government to the EU. The Foreign Ministry said that Greece will also participate in the second stage of Lebanon's reconstruction as soon as the Israeli bombing stops. More aid is pouring in from all over the EU and its "Meditteranean Neighbourhood" partner countries. French President Jacques Chirac said on Wednesday France would send a large capacity aircraft to Cyprus with humanitarian aid for Lebanon and urged the creation of "humanitarian corridors" to help civilian escape to safety. The Turkish Red Crescent Association announced it is to dispatch 1,500 tonnes of flour to Palestine on Tuesday, the first consignment of humanitarian aid of 10,000 tones of flour. Two cargo aircrafts loaded with humanitarian aid worth $680 000, took off Monday evening from the military base of Kénitra (40 km south of Rabat)in Morocco for Lebanon. In the Netherlands city of Almere, a recently closed refugee center was reopend to house 63 Dutch refugees who arrived from Lebanon. Sweden announced it is prepared to immediately provide help in alleviating the humanitarian needs that have arisen and to support the appeals for economic support. Lebanon said it is interested in an Italian mediation to end the conflict between Israel and the Lebanon-based Shiite militias Hezbollah, prime minister Fuad Siniora told Italy's largest circulation newspaper Corriere della Sera in an interview published on Thursday. Siniora also said he was thinking of inviting Italian foreign minister Massimo D'Alema to Beirut.
In Germany, which is already supplying humanitarian support to Lebanon and Palestine, the German Development Aid Minister, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul condemned Israel's military aggression in Lebanon and Gaza as 'unacceptable.' The German minister told the Berlin-based daily, "To bomb civilian installations and civilians in another state is completely unacceptable in terms of international law. "She also criticized Israel's brutal military actions in Gaza, pointing to the terrible situation of the Palestinian population in the region. "They are faced with a real desperate humanitarian situation," she told the daily.
To support the Lebanese refugees please contact your local Red Cross or Relief organization.
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