The ceasefire in Lebanon, you may recall, was supposed to stop the killing. But according to aid teams reporting on Friday, it's more of a suggestion than a rule, with villages in the south rendered "completely unrecognizable" after Israeli strikes and ongoing displacement still the norm.
Since March 2, over 2,700 people have been killed in clashes between Hezbollah fighters and the Israeli military - that's before we even get to the ceasefire that started April 17. Since then, another 380 people have died, including 25 women, because nothing says "safe return" like continued airstrikes, evacuation orders, and movement restrictions that keep over half a million women and girls displaced.
"This current conflict has eroded hope among many," said UN Women's Moez Doraid, speaking from Beirut. He described one woman forced to "forage for wild herbs to feed her family." That's not a cooking show segment; that's what happens when food insecurity deepens and an additional 144,000 women and girls are expected to face crisis-level hunger, bringing the total to about 639,000.
Access to food, water, healthcare, education, and basic services has been "dangerously disrupted," with 1.2 million people displaced. The UN World Food Programme has managed to run 19 convoys to south Lebanon, supporting 84,500 individuals - but that's less than 50% of the convoy requests that actually get approved by Israel. "We just need to be doing a lot more," said WFP's Matthew Hollingworth.
UN Women has directly supported over 15,000 women and girls since March 2, reaching 70,000 people across communities. The agency is also backing 500 women leaders to help communities navigate the crisis, identify urgent needs, and ensure women's voices are heard - because when you're foraging for herbs, you need a seat at the table too.