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UN brief: Lebanon aid shortfall and access problems in Gaza and West Bank hamper relief efforts
Summary
The United Nations warned of constrained relief in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank after reporting large displacement, disrupted humanitarian access and a shortfall on a revised Lebanon flash appeal that is only 43% funded.
Farhan, the United Nations spokesperson, told reporters that humanitarian partners are stretched across multiple crises in the Middle East and the Levant and that funding shortfalls and security obstacles are constraining relief.
"The $640,000,000 revised Lebanon flash appeal is only 43% funded, constraining the response at a time when humanitarian needs remain high," Farhan said, citing OCHA figures on displacement and shelter closures in southern Lebanon. He said more than 430,000 people in Lebanon remain internally displaced and that 45 collective shelters remain open, hosting around 7,000 people.
The briefing also highlighted access and protection problems in the Gaza Strip. Farhan said OCHA and humanitarian partners reported that movements of Israeli tanks, construction of sand embankments and recurrent gunfire near the "yellow line" in northern Rafah are disrupting aid delivery. He said initial reports indicated one Palestinian was killed and three others injured at one displacement site and that partners reported intensified military activity in the vicinity of sites.
On the West Bank, Farhan said OCHA reported a series of settler attacks on Palestinians working agricultural land in southern Hebron that injured roughly 30 people and damaged olive trees and infrastructure; humanitarian partners are providing assistance including legal aid.
During questions, a reporter said the Israeli cabinet had met and celebrated a decision to expand settlement activity with a reported budget of 8,500,000,000 (described in the question as roughly $2.8 billion) and asked the UN for its reaction. Farhan replied, "As you know, we're against settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory. Settlement activity, we've repeatedly said, contravenes international law and is unhelpful to the peace process and the two‑state solution that we continue to advocate for." The UN spokesman did not confirm the budget figures cited by the questioner.
Why this matters: constrained funding and active fighting limit the UN and partner agencies' ability to reach civilians; shortfalls in appeals and impeded access delay delivery of food, water and protection services.
The spokesperson said partners have reached hundreds of thousands with protection services since the escalation began and reiterated calls for safe, voluntary and dignified returns and for parties to respect international humanitarian law. The briefing did not announce new UN funding commitments or a formal Security Council decision on the items discussed.
