UNIFIL Documents 6 Tunnels Crossing Blue Line Towards Israel

UNIFIL peacekeepers attend a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of their presence in South Lebanon, at the mission headquarters in Naqoura, on March 19, 2018 (Hassan Ammar/AP)
UNIFIL peacekeepers attend a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of their presence in South Lebanon, at the mission headquarters in Naqoura, on March 19, 2018 (Hassan Ammar/AP)
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UNIFIL Documents 6 Tunnels Crossing Blue Line Towards Israel

UNIFIL peacekeepers attend a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of their presence in South Lebanon, at the mission headquarters in Naqoura, on March 19, 2018 (Hassan Ammar/AP)
UNIFIL peacekeepers attend a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of their presence in South Lebanon, at the mission headquarters in Naqoura, on March 19, 2018 (Hassan Ammar/AP)

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has recorded six tunnels in the region of Kfar Kela in southern Lebanon that cross the Blue Line towards Israel.

UNIFIL Commander Major General Stefano Del Col said the tunnels were “breaching the Blue Line.”

In a meeting with journalists on Tuesday in Naqoura, he emphasized that UNIFIL recorded violations on both sides of the Blue Line and raised them in periodic reports to the United Nations.
 
He added that the continued Israeli occupation of the northern part of the town of Ghajar was a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Del Col called on the importance of tripartite meetings between the UN, Lebanon and Israel “in order to eliminate breaches on the ground.”
 
He pointed out that some violations that occur sometimes in the eastern sector, especially in the fishing seasons, are quickly resolved, stressing that approved engagement mechanism and tripartite meetings significantly reduce the occurrence of violations and events on the ground.
 
The UNIFIL commander revealed that the UN had introduced some amendments to Resolution 1701, without compromising its substance.

He explained that in 2017, UNIFIL reinforced its field patrols and the following year, it developed a plan to strengthen the capabilities of the Lebanese Army’s naval forces.
 
Del Col also emphasized UNIFIL’s role in protecting civilians and taking care of their needs through the civil affairs office, which is in constant contact with the municipalities.



Fuel Shortages in Gaza at 'Critical Levels', UN Warns

 A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
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Fuel Shortages in Gaza at 'Critical Levels', UN Warns

 A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

The United Nations warned Saturday that dire fuel shortages in the Gaza Strip had reached "critical levels", threatening to dramatically increase the suffering in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

"After almost two years of war, people in Gaza are facing extreme hardships, including widespread food insecurity, seven UN agencies cautioned in a joint statement.

"When fuel runs out, it places an unbearable new burden on a population teetering on the edge of starvation," the statement added.