Monday's hastily convened meeting of the UN Security Council at the request of France in response to escalating violence in Lebanon between Israel forces and Hezbollah militants has underlined deepening international concern as the conflict intensifies, despite ongoing US mediation efforts.
Once gathered around the famous horseshoe-shaped table, Member States urged de-escalation by both sides and reiterated the obligation to protect civilians and respect the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL .
Although the force's mandate is scheduled to end on 31 December, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has insisted that peacekeepers would be needed in Lebanon beyond that date.
He has sent a letter to Council members presenting three possible scenarios involving between some 2,000 and more than 5,500 UN personnel who could monitor the ceasefire and support the Lebanese army.
Escalation still a reality in southern Lebanon
To better understand the situation on the ground, UN News spoke with UNIFIL spokesperson Tilak Pokharel.
He noted an uptick in violence since last weekend.
"We have seen more trajectories, being fired from both sides. For example, yesterday marked the highest, number of trajectories fired by the Israeli side, IDF, and the day before also was the same level, almost." Non-State armed groups also continue to fire into Israel from Lebanon, he added.
Large-scale destruction along the Blue Line
The UNIFIL spokesperson noted that the IDF had advanced deeper inside Lebanon, while in the south they have carried out large-scale destruction of houses and other civil infrastructure. "So that forced the people living here from their homes and they have not been able to come back, of course…now, much of the area that our positions are (in) is under IDF control."
UNIFIL is trying to help people who have decided to stay by supporting access for humanitarian organizations, and by escorting aid relief missions.
Mr. Pokharel added that "on a few occasions, we have also provided small-scale donations to address the immediate needs, not only within the area of UNIFIL's operations, but also outside, where people from our area, were forced and evacuated, or forced to flee, and are living outside collective shelters, mostly."
Roadblocks and mines creating extraordinary conditions for peacekeepers
Mr. Pokharel explained that in the areas close to the Blue Line of separation, most of the buildings and other infrastructure have been demolished and destroyed: "many of the bridges were targeted, along the Litani River, and peacekeepers encounter a lot of roadblocks as well as mines being planted on the roads…it is an extraordinary situation where we're operating in."
"Peacekeepers coming from faraway countries, who are far away from their homes, families, friends, spending time here faced challenging times in the south of Lebanon have had to stay in bunkers for days, if not weeks," the UNIFIL spokesperson said.
"In the aftermath of the latest escalation, there was a situation in which they could not resupply their positions, some were left without food, or fresh food or water, for days…we have been through all of this, and then, of course six of our peacekeepers died doing their duty in south Lebanon for peace and stability" since 2 March, when hostilities began between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.
