France triples emergency aid as Lebanon displacement grows

France will send 60 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Lebanon, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Wednesday, announcing a larger relief shipment as the country faces growing humanitarian needs.

The aid will include sanitation kits, hygiene supplies, mattresses, lamps and a mobile medical post intended to support civilians, Barrot told the French broadcaster TF1.

“And what we have decided is to triple the volume of aid that will arrive this week. This aid will reach 60 tons of humanitarian aid for the Lebanese, including sanitation kits, hygiene kits, mattresses, lamps, and also a mobile medical post,” Barrot said.

The minister said France had decided to increase the volume of humanitarian assistance scheduled to arrive in Lebanon during the week.

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Escalating fighting

The announcement comes as violence linked to the regional war spreads in Lebanon.

Israeli air strikes have hit several areas of the country in recent days as fighting with the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement continues.

The United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, said more than 667,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon within days as civilians flee bombardment and evacuation orders.

UN agencies have warned that hospitals and aid services are struggling to cope with the surge in casualties and displaced families.

France said on Monday it was deeply concerned by the escalation of violence and the displacement of people – calling on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilian populations.

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Strikes in Beirut

Israel has intensified strikes against its northern neighbour in recent days, targeting fighters and infrastructure belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

Beirut and its southern suburbs have been hit repeatedly, with the latest strike taking place overnight in the densely populated Aicha Bakkar district, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

The seventh and eighth floors of a residential building were reportedly destroyed in the strike and several nearby cars were damaged.

Since the start of the hostilities, 759,300 people have been displaced in Lebanon, according to the latest figures released by Lebanese authorities.

Nearly 500 people have been killed so far, the authorities said.

(with newswires)