Tuesday 03 / March / 2026
Beirut: The United Nations today called for restraint as tensions escalate between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, amid the ongoing war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran in the region.
“We are very concerned about the exchange of fire across the Blue Line,” said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, referring to the UN-drawn demarcation line established on June 7, 2000 between Lebanon and Israel and the Golan Heights.
Dujarric noted that “the situation on the ground is evolving rapidly, and we are following developments closely.” He added, “We are also aware of the strikes targeting Israel that were claimed by Hezbollah, and of the Israeli strikes that reportedly resulted in 31 deaths and numerous injuries north of the Blue Line in Lebanon.”
He stressed, “We call for maximum restraint and urge the parties to abide by the cessation of hostilities agreement.”
Separately, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on Israel to reopen border crossings with Gaza to allow humanitarian aid into the war-devastated territory after more than two years of conflict.
Among the crossings closed on Saturday as a security measure was the Rafah crossing, the only gateway for Gaza residents to the outside world without passing through Israel. The crossing had been partially reopened on February 2 to allow a limited number of wounded individuals and others to exit, nearly two years after Israeli forces took control of it during the Gaza war.
Dujarric stated, “Israel has closed all crossings, including Rafah, and suspended movement in and around areas where Israeli forces are still deployed.”
He underscored the need to “reopen all crossings as soon as possible,” adding that humanitarian partners have recently been forced to ration fuel and prioritize life-saving operations due to dwindling local supplies.
While some stockpiles remain inside Gaza, Dujarric said, “When the doors are closed, we of course do our best to conserve what we have as much as possible.”
