The UN peacekeepers in Lebanon are facing direct threats to their lives, and humanitarian aid funds to the country are severely insufficient, said a UN spokesman on Monday.
Although UN humanitarian convoys have managed to reach the besieged areas in southern Lebanon under great difficulty, aid operations remain extremely dangerous, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, at a daily press briefing.
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A report from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said that the Israeli military has recently carried out intensive airstrikes on villages in southern Lebanon and has even deployed naval forces off Lebanon's coast.
Dujarric said that on May 1, Israeli tanks intercepted a UNIFIL patrol convoy, and their machine-gun fire even struck vehicles at a UN camp.
The United Nations has lodged a strong protest against this incident, Dujarric said.
"We reiterate once again that our peacekeepers must never be targeted, and their safety and security must be guaranteed at all times by all parties," he said.
Dujarric said that despite the extension of the ceasefire, the situation in southern Lebanon remains grave.
He said the UN emergency fundraising campaign for Lebanon is severely underfunded.
The United Nations has warned that without adequate funding, the growing number of vulnerable people will be unable to receive enough assistance, he said.
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, facilitated by the United States, began at midnight on April 16, 2026, aimed at halting weeks of fighting. The agreement was later extended by three weeks.
