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SvennoJ 5 hours ago
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Israeli attacks killed 25 people on Friday: Lebanon’s Health Ministry

Twenty-five people were killed and 127 wounded in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Friday, the Lebanese Health Ministry says in a statement.

Australia starts evacuating nationals from Lebanon

Australia has started evacuating its nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus, in the first large-scale operation to get citizens out of the country amid an Israeli onslaught on Hezbollah.

Some 229 people arrived on the east Mediterranean island, which lies a 40-minute flight time from Beirut, on a commercial airline chartered by Australia. A second flight is scheduled later in the day.

More evacuation flights could be expected based on demand, Australian and Cypriot officials said.

At Cyprus’s Larnaca airport, civilians of all ages transferred from the aircraft into a terminal and then escorted onto waiting coaches. Children helped themselves to red apples and water provided by Australian military staff.

“They are exhausted, exceptionally happy to be here but heartbroken because they left family behind,” said Fiona McKergow, the Australian High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Cyprus.

Some of those evacuated on Saturday said they did not think they would ever return to Lebanon.

“Never, ever. I was traumatised, my kids were traumatised. It’s not a safe country, I won’t be back,” said Dana Hameh, 34. “I feel very sad leaving my country but I’m very happy to start a new life in Sydney. Life goes on. I wish the best for everyone.”


Lebanon’s healthcare system ‘on the brink of collapse’: UN official

The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is escalating daily with Israeli air strikes expanding geographically and increasingly targeting health and civilian infrastructure.

At least 77 healthcare workers have been killed on duty since October 2023. Of these, nearly a third were killed within 24 hours from October 2 to 3, the UN’s World Health Organisation said.

Imran Riza, UN deputy humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon, warned of an “alarming increase in attacks” against healthcare workers.

“The health system is on the brink of collapse,” Riza said.


‘A surreal environment’ in Beirut

Most people I spoke to in the past two weeks are in shock and disbelief.

They are traumatised and they are displaced. They had to leave their home very suddenly and most had nowhere to go, many didn’t have the resources to secure housing. So, many are sleeping on the streets of the capital’s corniche, on the beach, in parks, mosques or in their cars.

It’s a very surreal environment in the capital.

It’s not just people in Beirut, but in southern Lebanon too. Since the intensification of Israel’s attacks and its “limited ground operations” on October 1, we have seen tens of thousands of displaced there.

International aid organisations say it’s critical, that there must be a diplomatic solution or at least a lull in these attacks so that people can resettle.


Visiting UN Refugee Agency chief decries ‘terrible crisis’ in Lebanon

UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi has said on X that “Lebanon faces a terrible crisis” as “hundreds of thousands of people are left destitute or displaced by Israeli air strikes.”

Lebanon’s government has said that up to 1.2 million people could be displaced in the country, fleeing violent Israeli attacks on all areas, including the capital.