Nearly 600 killed, including women and children, in Lebanon attacks.

The Lebanese health ministry has announced that 558 people have been killed and nearly 2,000 injured in just one day of airstrikes.

Lebanon's civilian infrastructure is under threat with homes and ambulances already being targeted. So far, 50 children and 94 women have been killed, with roads being crammed by standstill traffic of civilians escaping to Beirut for their lives.

This is the bloodiest day Lebanon has experienced in decades. The Lebanese community has noted that the current death toll exceeded the 2020 Beirut blast which was caused by the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate.

Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed that the agency was “extremely alarmed by the sharp escalation of hostilities.”

Shamdasani urged “all parties to immediately cease the violence and to ensure the protection of civilians.”

Meanwhile, UNICEF the UN children’s agency, warned of the calamitous impact the rise in violence will have on children.

“We are warning today that any further escalation in this conflict will be absolutely catastrophic for all children in Lebanon,” said Ettie Higgins, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Lebanon, speaking via video link from Beirut.

“Yesterday was Lebanon’s worst day in 18 years. This violence has to stop immediately, or the consequences will be unconscionable.”

Muslim Aid has a long history of disaster response in Lebanon and is closely monitoring the situation. We are calling for the protection of all civilians and an immediate de-escalation of all violence.