UK Allocates £10M in Aid Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict; Urges Immediate Evacuation of Britons from Lebanon

The UK has allocated £10 million in aid to help Lebanon's neediest populations, while additional flights are being arranged for British citizens to evacuate. This comes amid worries that Beirut's airport may soon close following Israeli airstrikes on a nearby area known to be a Hezbollah base.

Political journalist @alixculbertson

Friday, October 4, 2024, at 2

The UK government has allocated £10 million in aid to assist individuals in Lebanon who have been affected by the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.

The assistance package, revealed on Friday, is designated to help Lebanon's neediest populations fulfill their fundamental necessities.

Additionally, it will offer educational support and child protection services to over 5,000 of the most disadvantaged and excluded children who are unable to attend school.

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Funds will be allocated to assist the Lebanese government in creating social protection systems that are more inclusive, sustainable, and transparent, according to the Foreign Office.

Authorities in Lebanon report that over 1.2 million residents have been forced to relocate due to Israeli offensives.

Over the past year, close to 2,000 fatalities have been recorded, with the majority occurring in the last two weeks in response to attacks from Hezbollah, as Israel takes retaliatory measures.

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Development Minister Anneliese Dodds stated that the allocated funds aim to "mitigate the worsening humanitarian crisis by offering support to individuals forced to flee due to ongoing conflict."

She emphasized: "While this emergency assistance is crucial, it does not offer a permanent fix. A lasting resolution to the escalating humanitarian situation can only be achieved through an immediate ceasefire that both parties respect and uphold.

"We strongly advise all UK citizens in Lebanon to depart without delay."

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The UK authorities have arranged three flights to date to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon following Sir Keir Starmer's urgent advice on September 25 for Britons to evacuate the country immediately.

On Wednesday, over 150 British citizens and their family members arrived in Birmingham, followed by another aircraft landing on Thursday and a third departing from Beirut on Friday.

Amid growing worries about the operational duration of the capital's airport, Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated, "The situation is unstable. There are a few flights, yet there are seats to be had."

"British citizens looking to depart should sign up immediately to get information on how to secure a seat."

Earlier, the Foreign Office announced that a few extra charter flights had been arranged, and Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines is still running flights from Beirut.

Approximately 700 British military personnel, along with members from the Foreign Office and Home Office, including Border Force officials, have been sent to Cyprus to prepare for a potential emergency evacuation.

Discover more: Understanding Hezbollah and the strength of its military forces. In conflict, language and visuals serve just as significantly as arms and ammunition.

Last night, Israel launched another series of airstrikes targeting Beirut, including areas near the city’s international airport, located at the edge of the Dahieh district, known as a Hezbollah stronghold.

On Friday, the Israeli armed forces issued an evacuation directive for over 30 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, adding to similar orders for various other regions issued in recent days.

An Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beirut resulted in the deaths of at least nine individuals, seven of whom were civilian emergency personnel linked to Hezbollah, in the early hours of Thursday.

According to the World Health Organization, 28 healthcare professionals lost their lives in Lebanon yesterday.

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Sayyed Abdullah, the chief of Civil Defence in southern Lebanon, informed Sky News' special correspondent Alex Crawford that Israeli forces are targeting their ambulance teams.

"He stated, 'We are clearly being targeted.'"

"He mentioned that 40 ambulances were totally demolished," adding, "Furthermore, 24 rescue stations in this region alone have suffered attacks."

"All of them were specifically targeted, and I am only referring to our organization."

However, they pledged to continue their essential efforts and refused to be scared away.

The media office of the Israel Defence Forces did not respond to inquiries regarding the allegations.

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