UN does not want to see further escalation along Blue Line, says spokesman

WASHINGTON

The UN is against any greater escalation along the Blue Line that separates Israel and Lebanon amid a conflict in Gaza, a spokesman said Tuesday.

"We do not want to see any greater escalation along the Blue Line which would have a devastating impact on Israelis living in the north and Lebanese living in the South," Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference.

The Blue Line is a demarcation that was set by the UN for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon in 2000.

His remarks were in response to reports raised by an Anadolu reporter that said Israel is preparing for a comprehensive attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Dujarric said humanitarian partners in Lebanon are continuing efforts to scale up the response and prepare in the event of further escalation in hostilities.

Earlier, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said more than 76,000 residents in Lebanon have been displaced by fighting in the south.

OCHA said it "is also deeply concerned about the impact that hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border are having on civilians."

Tensions have escalated along Lebanon’s border with Israel since the Israeli army launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7, amid an exchange of cross-border skirmishes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

*Serife Cetin contributed to the story