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U.S. Steps Up Help Needed for Lebanese Civilians
When Hamas launched its horrific terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, it unleashed a war that has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians in Gaza. Tragically, in flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Hezbollah, another Iran-supported terrorist group, joined the conflict by launching thousands of missiles into northern Israel. Up until September, the missile exchange by Israel and Hezbollah had displaced 150,000 civilians on both sides of the Israel Lebanon border.
From mid-September onward, Israel dealt Hezbollah a series of devastating blows: decapitating its leadership through intelligence operations; conducting intensive air strikes against Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon; and carrying out ground incursions into Hezbollah-dominated areas of the south.
Currently, according to the United Nations, as the result of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, over a million people in Lebanon have fled their homes, with over two hundred thousand crossing the border from Lebanon into Syria.
“The people of Lebanon are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation,” said Vice President Kamala Harris on the social platform X. “I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there. To that end, the United States will provide nearly $157 million in additional assistance to the people of Lebanon for essential needs such as food, shelter, water, protection, and sanitation to help those who have been displaced by the recent conflict. This additional support brings total U.S. assistance to Lebanon over the last year to over $385 million.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted in a statement that the additional assistance will also support those fleeing from Lebanon to neighboring Syria.
In announcing the additional aid, Secretary Blinken said, “The United States is committed to helping those most vulnerable in Lebanon and throughout the region. We urge other donors to join us in stepping up to contribute to these new humanitarian needs.”
As the State Department readouts of his recent discussions with Mideast leaders show, Secretary Blinken underscored the importance of implementing Security Council Resolution 1701 to allow civilians on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border to return to their homes.