ALBAWABA - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies issued an international emergency appeal on Tuesday, urging donors to provide resources for the people of Lebanon.
The IFRC also urged all sides to safeguard paramedics in the violence, which has killed and maimed thousands of people, many of them in the last six weeks.
The secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Jagan Chapagain, told the Associated Press in Beirut that "needs are just growing so fast." He spoke with officials and visited shelters for those affected by the fighting.
According to Chapagain, as winter draws near, residents at community centers around the nation require blankets, heaters, non-food items, and hygiene kits. He went on to say that even if the fighting stops, it would take time for things to return to normal, which is one of the reasons the IFRC has extended its emergency appeal by two years.
He stated that over 30 employees and volunteers have already died and many have been injured worldwide this year, and that many other organizations have also lost employees.
"This is something that was unheard of many years ago," he added in reference to the 30 deaths, adding that Sudan, the Gaza Strip, and Lebanon were among the nations where paramedics suffered the most.
17 Lebanese Red Cross personnel have suffered injuries while doing their rescue missions in various locations of Lebanon since the crisis started.
