United Nations (U.N.) officials warn that a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Lebanon. The U.N. revealed on Friday, Oct. 4, that most of the country’s nearly 900 emergency shelters can no longer take people in. Hotels and nightclubs are now opening their doors to those in need.
Beirut and Mount Lebanon reportedly said that their shelters are full. However, U.N. officials said other cities had some space in shelters. Many of the shelters are schools with education put on hold due to escalating violence.
Meanwhile, nearly half of the people in the country’s emergency shelters were children as of Thursday, Oct. 3, and facilities said previously they were operating beyond capacity, according to humanitarian officials.
Additionally, some people in Lebanon are staying on the streets because they are reportedly refugees from other countries and fear being deported.
The U.N. also revealed that roads are jam-packed in Lebanon with people caught in the crossfire between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah militants. Many are unable to leave the country because of Israeli airstrikes that have cut off Lebanon’s border with Syria.
A hospital was also evacuated on Friday as Israeli shelling knocked out the facility’s service temporarily.
More than 1.2 million Lebanese people have reportedly been forced to flee their homes and more than 2,000 have been killed amid the conflict over the past year.
