UN says about 40% of more than 1M displaced in Lebanon have returned

Around 40% of more than 1 million people displaced in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks have returned to their home areas, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.

Citing officials from the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), Dujarric said "this marks an important step towards recovery, [but] thousands of people remain displaced and continue to rely on humanitarian assistance."

"We reiterate that returns must be safe, they must be voluntary, they must be dignified, and people who return must have the access they need to humanitarian goods."

Mentioning that the World Food Program and its partners on Tuesday delivered "much needed" assistance to hard-to-reach areas across southern Lebanon, he said: "We continue to stress that humanitarian access must be granted to all those who need it."

Israel began its latest offensive in Lebanon in early March and has refused to withdraw from the territory despite a ceasefire and a framework deal mediated by the US.