The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, upon his arrival in Beirut, today, Saturday, denounced the “horrific crisis” that Lebanon is facing, after hundreds of thousands fled their homes due to the heavy Israeli raids on several areas of the country.

Grande said in a post on the “X” platform: “I have just arrived in Beirut while Lebanon is facing a horrific crisis. Hundreds of thousands of people have become destitute or displaced due to Israeli air strikes.”

He added: “I came here in solidarity with those affected, to support humanitarian efforts and to request more international assistance,” at a time when the authorities estimate that more than a million people have been displaced due to the Israeli escalation.

In turn, Imran Reda, Deputy UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon and Humanitarian Coordinator, warned of a “worrying increase” in attacks on health care teams in Lebanon.

Rida said on his account on the “X” platform: “Over the past few days, we have witnessed a worrying increase in attacks against health care teams in Lebanon.” He added, "Health care workers are paying the highest price with their lives," noting that "the health system is on the verge of collapse" in Lebanon.

His statements come the day after at least four hospitals in Lebanon announced the suspension of their services, while a Hezbollah health authority announced the killing of 11 of its paramedics in the south of the country.

With the repeated targeting of paramedics in several areas, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced diplomatic contacts “in order to put pressure on the Israeli enemy to allow rescue and relief teams to reach the sites that were subjected to raids and allow the transfer of victims and wounded.”

Escape to Syria

This comes as officials in Lebanon said that about 375,000 people crossed the border from Lebanon into Syria to escape the Israeli bombing.

From the Masnaa border crossing between Lebanon and SyriaFrom the Masnaa border crossing between Lebanon and Syria

The Lebanese government's Crisis Management Unit, citing Lebanese Public Security statistics, reported that 374,621 people (Lebanese and Syrian citizens living in Lebanon) have crossed the border into Syria since last September 23, when Israel intensified its aerial bombardment on Lebanon.

Thousands continue to cross the border on foot through the main Masnaa border crossing, even after Israeli air attacks targeted the road leading to it the day before Thursday.

Today, the crossing witnessed a continuous stream of people walking through a huge crater caused by the air attack on their way to buses waiting on the other side.