Over 30K people flee Lebanon to Syria in last 72 hours: UN

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that more than 30,000 people have fled from Lebanon to Syria over the past 72 hours, as Israeli attacks on Lebanon intensify.

Over 30,000 cross from Lebanon into Syria

Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, UNHCR’s representative in Syria, shared the update during the U.N.’s weekly press briefing, held online from Geneva.

“In the past 72 hours, more than 30,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria,” Llosa said, noting that the number is expected to increase further. He added that 80% of those fleeing are Syrian nationals, while 20% are Lebanese. Notably, half of the displaced are children and young people.

Llosa emphasized the difficult choice these individuals face, moving from a war-stricken Lebanon to Syria, a country that has experienced ongoing conflict for the past 13 years. “This is an extremely difficult decision for these people,” Llosa said, highlighting the humanitarian challenges ahead.

‘Middle East cannot afford new displacement crisis’

“This bloodshed is extracting a terrible toll, driving tens of thousands from their homes,” said Filippo Grandi, U.N. high commissioner for refugees on Wednesday.

It is yet another ordeal for families who previously fled war in Syria only now to be bombed in the country where they sought shelter. We must avoid replaying these scenes of despair and devastation. The Middle East cannot afford a new displacement crisis. Let us not create one by forcing more people to abandon their homes. Protecting civilian lives must be the priority.

Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees

According to Lebanese authorities, over 27,000 people have been displaced as of Sept. 25, and the number is rising as more individuals continue to leave their homes.

Escalating violence in Lebanon

Since Oct. 8, Hezbollah and the Israeli military have engaged in sporadic skirmishes, with Israel intensifying its airstrikes on southern Lebanon, including the Bekaa and Baalbek regions, since Sept. 23.

Lebanese authorities report that 748 people have been killed in the intensified airstrikes, and nearly 150,000 people have been internally displaced due to the bombardments.

In response, Hezbollah has launched missile attacks on Israeli military bases in the south and east, although no significant damage has been reported on the Israeli side. Meanwhile, the exodus of people continues, with many fleeing from southern Lebanon to the capital, Beirut and further north, while others seek refuge in Syria.