Situation for civilians in southern Lebanon unacceptable: ICRC

A convoy of refugees and foreign media passes through the southern border village of Al-Qawzah on the way to Tyre yesterday. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) condemned the situation of thousands of people trapped by war in south Lebanon as unacceptable and said Israel must do more to spare civilians. PHOTO: AFP

The ICRC announced that it was scaling up its emergency relief operations in Lebanon by launching a 100 million Swiss franc appeal (63 million euros, 81 million dollars) to donors.

"We today find the situation for civilians who are trapped unacceptable," said Pierre Kraehenbuehl, the ICRC's director of operations.

"International humanitarian law sets out clear rules and the parties in this context are aware of their obligations."

"Much more has to be done by Israeli forces to ensure the respect, to protect and spare civilians in the conduct of military operations," he told journalists.

The ICRC also reiterated a warning to Hezbollah about rocket attacks on towns in northern Israel, while heavy fighting in southern Lebanon had cut off civilians from urgently needed aid.

"International Humanitarian Law also applies to Hezbollah, both concerning the conduct of hostilities in Lebanon and in relation to attacks against towns in northern Israel which have resulted in the killing and injuring of many civilians," Kraehenbuehl said.

The ICRC said its access to "thousands" of people in villages cut off by fighting was gradually improving, but overall, needs remained enormous while relief convoys and ambulances were still being blocked by fighting.