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Israel-Lebanon crisis: Lebanese ramp up humanitarian efforts

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Amid Israeli strikes and limited public aid, Lebanese activists are jumping into action. However, observers point out that aid is being politicized, and there are too many in need.

 

Almost three weeks into Israel’s devastating strikes on Lebanon, civilians are increasingly taking the organization of humanitarian help into their own hands.

“I joined a local initiative, and we distribute donations between several shelters and schools,” Rayan Chaya told DW in Aley, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Beirut.

The 27-year-old mechanical engineer has been setting up databases with places to rent and eat for free. He also organized a wheelchair for a family who had to leave theirs behind when they fled.

“We’re in a crisis, and if we don’t help each other, who will?” he said. “The government isn’t taking any serious action.”

Heiko Wimmen, Lebanon project director at the International Crisis Group, a non-governmental conflict prevention organization, confirms this view.

“The level of humanitarian support for the population is what you would expect from a country whose political structures do not really function,” he told DW.

Years of political instability in combination with an ongoing economic crisis have left Lebanon on the brink of collapse.

The dire situation was further exacerbated in late September when Israel escalated its attacks on Hezbollah, designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the US and Germany, while the EU classifies its armed wing as a terrorist group, after a year of limited fighting.

Israeli attacks have not only killed several leading Hezbollah members but also around 2,000 civilians, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry
© Daniel Carde/ZUMA/picture alliance

 

Since then, several Hezbollah leaders have been killed and more than 2,000 civilians have died in the Israeli attacks, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Some 608,000 people are currently internally displaced according to the latest update by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). According to Lebanese authorities, this number is twice as high.

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The Beirut Urban Lab launches the English version of its platform “Government-Designated Shelters in Lebanon” updated on the 1st of October. You can access the platform experience.arcgis.com/experience/af2 Government-Designated Shelters in Lebanon beiruturbanlab.com/en/Details/200 Show more

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House squatters on the rise

Meanwhile, the Lebanese government, which acts in a caretaker capacity, has set up 973 shelters in public institutions across the country. Yet, the available 180,000 places were quickly taken.

“The number of shelters doesn’t match the number of needed places and I fear that house squatters will increasingly take over both emptied apartments as well as uninhabited luxury flats,” Wimmen said.

According to a study by Beirut’s American University, around 31% of Beirut’s property has been bought for investment purposes.

Meanwhile, Lebanese who are affiliated in one way or the other with Hezbollah’s influential political wing are increasingly moving into these apartments.

“Some of the Hezbollah-affiliated parties such as the Amal [Movement] and the Syrian Socialist National Party [in Lebanon], who have been doing the dirty work on behalf of Hezbollah for years, have opened buildings for refugees,” Crisis Group’s Wimmen said.

The Washington Post reported earlier this week that a spokesman for the Lebanese police told their reporter that they would empty the buildings only when proper alternatives were found.

Volunteers work in a community kitchen to prepare meals for those who fled Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon
© ANWAR AMRO/AFP

Food, clothes, and a hug

Mosques, churches, bars and many private people do their best to help, Anna Fleischer, director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Middle East Office in Beirut, told DW.

“In my mosque, there is no space to host families but the number of worshippers has increased immensely and we provide food, medical services and relief,” Sheikh Mohammed Abu Zaid, imam of the largest mosque in Saida, 45 kilometers south of Beirut, told Ekwutosblog.

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Famous for hosting champagne-fueled parties attended by the Beirut jet set, Skybar club on the city’s waterfront has taken in a new crowd: Lebanon’s war displaced People danced till dawn here less than two weeks ago. It’s now a much-needed temporary home. 🧵

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Sally Halawi, who owns the thrift shop “Circuit” in Beirut, has also decided to help refugees.

“I felt I had to do something to help,” she told DW. She donated everything in her shop to people who had left their homes and belongings behind. On Instagram, she called out for more donations.

“Lots of people responded,” Halawi recalls. Every morning, she assembles the donations according to gender and size. Every evening, donations are sent to the school-turned-shelters.

“So far, we have collected more than 30,000 items,” the 35-year-old said, adding that “as draining and hectic as this is, I believe this is the least I can do for my people, and I still feel it’s not enough.”

Humanitarian aid bridge

Meanwhile, international humanitarian aid for Lebanon’s population is picking up.

On Friday, the first of three flights with EU-owned stocks including hygiene items, blankets and emergency shelter kits is set to arrive in Beirut. France and other EU offices have also sent supplies.

Earlier this week, Health Minister Firas Abiad welcomed 40 tons of medical supplies from the United Arab Emirates.

And yet, observers stress that addressing the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is also driven by political interests.

“Lebanon’s ruling elite is now trying to maintain its dominance by courting international donors as well as Western and Gulf Arab sponsors,” Lorenzo Trombetta, a Middle East analyst, told DW.

The first to promise humanitarian aid were Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, he added.

However, Qatar has been hosting the political Hamas elite for years and is one of the key negotiators for a cease-fire in Gaza.

“And Abu Dhabi supports the alliance with the United States and collaborates with Israel and its armed forces on high-tech technology, as well as continuing to send aid to Beirut,” Trombetta explained.

In his view, this is done to “exert greater political influence in Lebanon and strengthen its presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

He also fears that Lebanon’s political elite is about to deprioritize the needs of the population. “In the near future, the main focus will turn to the management of reconstruction funds,” Trombetta warned.

He considers it key to link reconstruction aid as well as the distribution of essential services and welfare exclusively to Lebanon’s civil population.

However, that aid effort appears to be stalling. The UN-led flash appeal for over $426 million (€389 million) for Lebanon’s civil society has so far received only $53 million.

Edited by: Rob Mudge

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SHOCKING! Judgement Day Turns Burial As Yoruba Nation Agitator Dies In Court – SEE What Killed Him

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Adejumo Lateef, a member of the Yoruba Nation agitators, has died while in custody, as confirmed by officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service during a court session at the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, on Wednesday. Lateef, who was the 18th defendant in a case brought by the Oyo State Government, passed away before the group’s arraignment.

The remaining 27 defendants were arraigned before Justice K. B. Olawoyin at Court 3 of the Oyo State High Court. The defendants, operating under the Yoruba Nation movement, are accused of invading the Oyo State Government Secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan, on April 13, 2024, where they declared the formation of a sovereign Yoruba Nation.

The suspects face a five-count charge, including conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms, unlawful assembly, treasonable felony, and treason. These offences are punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. The prosecution is being led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, S. O. Adeoye.

During the proceedings, the court was informed that the majority of the defendants lacked legal representation. Although some defendants were represented—Adebola Ogungbe for the 3rd, 4th, 9th, and 12th defendants, and Toluwase Ogundeji for the 15th defendant—others were without lawyers. However, two lawyers, Yomi Ogunlola and S. A. Sanmi, volunteered to represent the remaining unrepresented defendants.

Three of the defendants—6th, 23rd, and 24th—requested more time to contact their families in order to arrange for legal representation.

As a result, Justice Olawoyin adjourned the case to the 6th, 8th, and 13th of November 2024 for arraignment and hearing, allowing time for the defendants to secure legal counsel.

The incident has sparked discussions about the treatment of detainees and the handling of the Yoruba Nation movement, a group advocating for the secession of the southwestern region of Nigeria.

 

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TRAGIC: Man, Ani Chisom, comm!t su!c!de following refusal of his boss to settle him after 7 years of service

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A 30year Old Man Ani Chisom Bright has ended it all due to frustration following his Masters refusal to settle him after serving him for 7 solid Years in Lagos.

Explaining his decision to end it all, late Ani in a Su!c!de note said his Boss Mr Innocent Ulasi of Otolo Cars Lagos refused to settle him after 7years of Hard Labour Service.

“And For My Oga Innocent Ulasi(Otolo Cars) We will meet each other soon, but before we do that, you will hear from me soon, you made me go through a lot after serving you for 7years with hard labour with you “he stated in the Su!c!de note titled God is the Greatest. He thereafter took a p0!s0nous substance & d!ed. – Promise Uzoma Okoro

 

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Putin feels fine, Kremlin is relieved

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Putin feels fine, Kremlin is relieved © Nikita Karimov for Unsplash
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The Kremlin was quick to release a statement denying that Vladimir Putin is facing health issues after he mentioned being regularly examined by a doctor.

 

The 72-year-old Russian president was speaking on television alongside Health Minister Mikhail Murashko in a discussion urging Russians to get vaccinated against the flu.

“The doctors at the Central Clinical Hospital, where I undergo regular check-ups, also recommend getting vaccinated with a domestically produced vaccine,” the head of state said.

This statement quickly sparked a wave of speculation about the Russian leader’s health.

However, the national news agency TASS insisted that Vladimir Putin was not ill, stating that the visit was merely a routine check-up. “He was referring to regular medical examinations,” added Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin’s health has been the subject of much speculation, with rumors that he may be suffering from cancer or Parkinson’s disease.

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