Hundreds of people were injured on 17 September 2024, in an attack targeting pagers used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon.

The explosions affected multiple regions, with dozens of Hezbollah members reportedly wounded.

Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among those injured, according to Iranian state media, suffering a superficial injury. He remains under observation in a Beirut hospital, per IRNA.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health has issued urgent warnings to citizens to discard pager devices and instructed hospitals to be on “high alert.”

The ministry also called for blood donations due to the large number of casualties being transferred to hospitals. The explosions primarily impacted Hezbollah strongholds, including the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Beqaa valley towns of Ali Al-Nahri and Riyaq.

The blasts are believed to be the result of “hacked” pager devices, according to Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces and the state media outlet NNA.

In addition to Ambassador Amani, two Iranian embassy employees were injured, as reported by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

Footage from CCTV and social media showed the severity of the blasts. In one clip, a man in a supermarket was caught in an explosion, dropping to the ground in pain. Other videos from Lebanese hospitals depicted the overwhelming number of injured, including children with facial and hand injuries.

The Israeli military, which has engaged in conflict with Hezbollah amid the ongoing Gaza war since October 2023, declined to comment on the incident.

Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, addressed the press following her briefing to the UN Security Council on Monday (16 Sept).

She described the Gaza Strip as “hell on earth” and emphasised the urgent need for aid to reach Gaza’s residents to ensure they can live with dignity.

Kaag was questioned about her future role and the prospects for a ceasefire but expressed uncertainty.

She clarified, “I did not speak about ceasefire or prospects of a ceasefire,” and noted that, without being part of the negotiations, she could not predict the likelihood of a ceasefire.

Describing the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, Kaag observed that “every day that passes, life in Gaza is unlivable.”

She highlighted severe impacts such as children being out of school and people living in tents, contrasting these conditions with those before 7 October.

During the briefing, Kaag addressed the ongoing challenges in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, countering claims by the Israeli ambassador that enough aid and food were reaching the region.

Kaag pointed out that while trucks may be arriving at Gaza’s border crossings, distributing supplies to the people remains a major issue due to ongoing fighting and logistical obstacles.

“If we can’t retrieve it due to lawlessness or evacuation orders, it doesn’t really matter if it’s at the border,” she said, emphasising that aid must be distributed within Gaza to be effective.

Kaag also dismissed the notion that counting the number of trucks is a measure of success.

“It’s not about trucks. It’s about what people need in its totality as fellow human beings,” she said.

She stressed that current aid levels are far from adequate to meet people’s daily needs and allow them to live with dignity.

Regarding her cooperation with the Israeli government, Kaag described the interactions as constructive.

She reported receiving necessary facilitation, including meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his war cabinet.

Kaag’s statements highlight the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing challenges in providing effective aid and resolving the conflict.

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released a report on Monday (16 Sept), detailing the severe impact of continued Israeli bombardments on civilian life in Gaza.

The report highlighted critical shortages in medical supplies, with public health facilities in southern Gaza facing over a 70% shortage of vital health items.

Restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities are exacerbating the crisis, particularly affecting vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.

In addition, the report noted that the scarcity of basic hygiene products is worsening the humanitarian situation.

Community kitchens are struggling to clean cooking utensils, and shelters remain unclean, impacting personal hygiene and disease prevention efforts.

Access constraints and ongoing hostilities are severely hindering the delivery of life-saving aid, with aid convoys facing attacks and delays.

The Gaza Ministry of Health reports that since the ongoing assault on 7 October, at least 41,118 Palestinians have been killed, including nearly 16,500 children. Additionally, over 95,125 people have been injured.