2026-05-05T14:49:28+00:00

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Shafaq News- Beirut

Civilians in Lebanon continue to
flee their homes despite a ceasefire announced on April 17 between Tel Aviv and
Beirut, the UNHCR warned on Monday, describing a “deeply fragile” situation
marked by continued violence and repeated displacement.

The agency cited Israeli airstrikes,
shelling, demolitions, evacuation orders, and movement restrictions,
particularly in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley, as key drivers
preventing stability and forcing families to move multiple times. Although
Beirut has not been struck in recent weeks, residents in affected areas remain
“with the same fear for their lives” as before the ceasefire, with UNHCR noting
that at least 380 people have been killed since the truce took effect.

According to UNHCR data, 1,049,328
displaced people have been registered through Lebanon’s government relief
platform. A total of 119,623 internally displaced people are currently hosted
in collective shelters. Insecurity continues to shape civilians’ decisions on
whether to return to their towns or remain displaced, while many residents are
still not permitted to return to areas under Israeli control in the south.

Cross-border displacement has also
intensified. Since renewed escalation on March 2, more than 310,000 Syrians
have crossed into Syria from Lebanon, citing the absence of viable
alternatives, as humanitarian operations remain constrained with only 38% of
the Lebanon Flash Appeal funded.

Large-scale damage has spread across
multiple regions, impacting homes belonging to hundreds of thousands of people
as well as critical infrastructure. Data from the National Council for
Scientific Research in Lebanon shows that 428 housing units were destroyed and
a further 50 damaged in just the first three days of the ceasefire.

“This fragile ceasefire must be
upheld to enable safe returns for displaced families and be matched by
sustained international support,” the agency affirmed.

Lebanese authorities reported more
than 8,500 Israeli violations, including shelling, excavation operations, and
the use of phosphorus munitions. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described
the military approach as modeled on operations in Gaza, involving large-scale
destruction. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, the escalation has killed
2,702 people and wounded 8,311 others since early March, including women and
children.