London, UK: Over 19,000 people in Lebanon have been displaced since early October 2023 due to escalated tensions near the Israel-Lebanon border following the Israel-Hamas conflict. This was released by the United Nations (UN) migration agency.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 19,646 people in Lebanon have been displaced since they began monitoring movements on October 8, 2023. This displacement occurred in the aftermath of an attack on Israel by Hamas fighters and an Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
The majority of these movements were made by people escaping from southern Lebanon, although some individuals from other regions have also relocated.
According to Israeli authorities, the Hamas attack resulted in at least 1,400 casualties, with the majority of them being civilians.
Following the Hamas attack, Israel has continuously bombarded Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 5,000 people, the majority of whom were civilians, as reported by Palestinian authorities.
As Israel intensified its offensive in Gaza, the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, located in southern Lebanon, stepped up its attacks on Israeli targets.
Israel has conducted cross-border strikes and bombardments in Lebanon, and Palestinian groups have made limited attempts to enter Israel.
In Israel, several communities have been instructed to evacuate, while in Lebanon, thousands of people from border towns have relocated to other parts of the south or closer to the capital, Beirut.
Many people who fled from southern Lebanon have relocated north to the coastal city of Tyre, which is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) from the border. Ms. Inaya Ezzeddine, a lawmaker from Tyre, expressed concern that this migration is adding pressure on both host families and the government in a country grappling with economic challenges.
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