Ruptly
"UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned that restricted access through the Strait of Hormuz is affecting multiple nations, with developing countries facing a heightened risk of a humanitarian crisis. "Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a near halt, with a 95% drop in daily ship transit over the past months. As a result, UNCTAD forecasts a drop of at least one percentage point in annual merchandise trade growth, as well as rising inflation spurred by a surge in crude oil prices," Dujarric said during a press briefing in New York on Wednesday. The spokesperson also cautioned that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is likely to worsen an already deepening crisis in Lebanon, claiming the needs are 'outpacing available resources'. "We have received just $94 million of the $308 million we asked for in the recent flash appeal. We urgently need more funding not only to sustain but to scale up our operations. We and our humanitarian partners are continuing to do whatever we can to protect and help people," said Dujarric. He also reported that so far, more than 200,000 people have crossed the border into Syria, adding to an increasing number of displaced people. It comes as Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced over 600,000 houses will be destroyed, as well as the creation of a 'buffer zone' up to the Litani River, in southern Lebanon, about 30 kilometres from the Israeli border. Israel launched ground operations in southern Lebanon this month, shortly after an escalation in strikes and counter-strikes between Israel and Hezbollah following the start of the Iran war. According to Lebanon's Health Ministry, over 1,200 people have been killed and more than a million displaced."
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