Over the past week, UNIFIL peacekeepers have ramped up support to the people displaced from the mission’s area of operations, especially those forced from towns and villages close to the Blue Line due to ongoing hostilities.
Beneficiaries included internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering both within and outside the UNIFIL area of operations.
On 25 April, the mission’s Italian peacekeepers delivered a donation comprising medicines, hygiene kits, medical and hospital equipment, and food supplies for IDPs in Tibnin.
While the medicines and hygiene kits were purchased using funds from the Italian Ministry of Defense, donation of other items was made possible with generous contributions from Italian charities.
On the same day, with concerted efforts of UNIFIL peacekeepers from Italy, Malaysia and Spain, a donation of medical supplies and potable water was delivered to the Marjayoun Public Hospital.
Acting on behalf of the UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander, the commander of UNIFIL’s Spanish contingent, Lt. Col. Cristóbal Martín Arévalo, led the donation of 150 kg medicines and medical supplies as well as over 500 liters of bottled water.
The donation followed request from the Hospital, which was facing shortages of medical supplies in the wake of recent hostilities, and made possible with funding from the Vatican.
On 22 April, in the coastal city of Tyre, Italian peacekeepers delivered a substantial shipment of medicines and medical supplies to the local branch of the Lebanese Red Cross, whose volunteers are actively involved in search and rescue operations. The purchase of these items was made possible through generous contributions of various charities from Italy’s Sardinia Region.
Outside the mission’s area of operations, hundreds of IDPs forced from their homes in the south also benefited from UNIFIL donations.
On 23 April, more than 200 food kits were distributed to the IDPs sheltering in the Municipal Stadium of Saida. In order to enhance the response capacity of health facilities catering to IDPs, the mission’s Italian peacekeepers also donated outpatient and other hospital beds to hospitals in Furn El Chebbak, Kfarchima and Bsaba in the capital, Beirut.
On 27 April, the Home of Mercy hospital in Beirut, managed by the Antonian Sisters, essential goods, clothing, and medical supplies.
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara reaffirmed the mission’s commitment to supporting a return to stability in the south including through these donations.
He said, “Being present alongside the population does not only mean ensuring security but also providing tangible support to those who face daily hardship.”
