Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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March 3, 2026 Peace and security
On the fourth day of escalation in the Middle East, the UN called for the protection of civilians and warned of growing humanitarian needs and displacement.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), recalled Saturday's attack on a girls' primary school in the city of Minab in southern Iran. More than 160 people, including schoolgirls and school staff, were killed and dozens were injured.
"Children, little girls… were killed like this at the start of the school day. Backpacks with blood on them—it's absolutely horrific," she said.
"If there are any images that capture the essence of the destruction, despair, senselessness and brutality of this conflict, it is these images," Shamdasani added.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk is "deeply appalled" by the impact of the fighting on civilians. He called for an "immediate, impartial, and comprehensive investigation" into the circumstances of the attack in Minab.
"The responsibility for the investigation lies with the forces that carried out this attack. We call on them to make their findings public and to do everything possible to ensure those responsible are held accountable," Shamdasani emphasized.
If it is established that the strikes were directed specifically at civilians or were indiscriminate, then this would constitute “a serious violation of international humanitarian law and could amount to a war crime,” the OHCHR representative noted.
The situation of Iranians
Shamdasani expressed concern about the situation of Iranians, "given the authorities' practice of using lethal force on a large scale against those who oppose their rule, as well as new threats from senior officials against any manifestation of dissent in the current period."
She called on authorities to ensure the protection of fundamental freedoms for Iranian citizens and condemned the public's limited access to information amid the nationwide internet shutdown.
Shamdasani also noted that in addition to Iran and Israel, the fighting has affected 12 other countries, where homes, businesses, airports, and energy infrastructure have been destroyed.
Population displacement in Lebanon
In Lebanon, the Hezbollah armed movement has entered the conflict, prompting Israeli strikes. "Large-scale population displacement is reported in several areas of southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut," said Babar Baloch, a spokesman for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Israel issued evacuation warnings to residents of more than 53 Lebanese villages in three areas and launched intensive airstrikes against them, he said.
As of Monday, "almost 30,000 people were registered in collective temporary accommodation centers," Baloch said.
"Many others spent the night in their cars on the side of the road or were still stuck in traffic after leaving the south towards Beirut," he added.
Israeli ground forces entered southern Lebanon on Tuesday following Hezbollah strikes in northern Israel, according to media reports.
A UNHCR representative stressed that many of the countries affected by the conflict “already host millions of refugees and internally displaced persons.”
Further escalation of violence and new waves of displacement could, he said, place an unbearable burden on host communities.
Supply chain disruptions
Serious disruptions to the transportation of goods due to the ever-increasing fighting in the region are already impacting humanitarian supply routes.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Samer Abdel-Jaber, said disruptions to supplies through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea would increase costs for most WFP operations that depend on these routes.
“In a climate where the seas are becoming a contested zone and airspace is closing, we are looking at adapting and leveraging the networks of our suppliers in other countries – such as Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan – and supporting land corridors,” he said.
The WFP representative added that Egyptian ports and the Suez Canal are key hubs for supporting our organization's operations in the Gaza Strip, as well as in Sudan.
Abdel-Jaber noted that Israel's decision to close Gaza's border crossings after the outbreak of hostilities on Saturday had caused serious concern, but news emerged on Tuesday that the Kerem Shalom crossing would soon reopen.
According to media reports, the crossing on the southern border of the sector did indeed open on Tuesday.
"This is very timely for us and we need to get the aid out as quickly as possible," Abdel-Jaber said.
“We only have enough wheat flour to last ten days, and food parcels will only support our programs for two and a half weeks… We need to ensure a continuous and scalable flow of food to the Gaza Strip,” he concluded.
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