UN Warns of Rising Civilian Toll in Lebanon and Gaza

By Mintesinot Nigussie  |  August 29, 2026

The United Nations has warned of mounting civilian risks from renewed hostilities in southern Lebanon and continuing Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, while hundreds of thousands of displaced people remain unable to return to their homes.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN under-secretary-general for peace operations, and Jean Arnault, officer-in-charge of the UN Special Coordinator’s Office for Lebanon, briefed members of the Security Council in closed consultations on Friday, according to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

In southern Lebanon, the UN said renewed hostilities were taking a heavy toll on civilians despite a continuing movement of displaced people back to their communities.

About 820,000 people have returned to their communities in Lebanon in recent months, including nearly 90 percent of those displaced from the South Governorate. But roughly 330,000 people remain displaced across the country, according to UN humanitarian officials.

Humanitarian operations remain particularly constrained south of the Litani River, where insecurity is restricting access to some communities and delaying assessments, monitoring, the restoration of essential services and food deliveries.

The UN said unrestricted humanitarian access was essential to support people returning to areas where damaged infrastructure, insecurity and limited public services are complicating efforts to rebuild.

In Gaza, UN humanitarian officials raised concerns over continued air strikes and other attacks across the territory, citing reports of civilian deaths and damage to infrastructure.

UNICEF said four children aged between two and 16 had reportedly been killed in separate Israeli strikes in recent days, including one child who died from wounds sustained the previous week.

The strikes also destroyed humanitarian supplies and damaged critical water infrastructure, according to the UN.

“Civilians and civilian objects, including humanitarian facilities and infrastructure, must always be protected,” the UN said.

The UN also reported a security incident involving one of its convoys near the Kerem Shalom, or Karem Abu Salem, crossing. An explosive munition detonated about 30 metres from a UN convoy carrying fuel as it crossed the so-called Yellow Line in Gaza.

No one was injured, although the blast caused minor mechanical damage to one of the vehicles, according to the UN.

Source: FSX Business News