Israel is reportedly at an advanced stage of negotiations with a United Nations (UN) proxy to supply Lebanon with medical equipment following a catastrophic explosion on Tuesday at the capital Beirut's port, according to Israeli media outlet Kan.
Israeli officials have been working to transfer the much-needed aid to its stricken northern neighbor via intermediaries at the UN, although the government has yet to officially respond.
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A ship is engulfed in flames at the port of Beirut after a catastrophic explosion
(Photo: AFP)
The official death toll has surpassed 135, although reports said it has already reached approximately 400.
"Lebanese Health Minister Hemed Hassan said four hospitals in the city were damaged by the blast, making it difficult to treat all the injured, some of whom have yet to receive medical assistance," according to Kan.
At least 4,000 people were reported wounded in the blast. Some estimates have suggested that up to 300,000 people have been left homeless in a state that is already struggling with myriad problems, including a rapidly collapsing economy.
rescue
Minister of Environmental Protection Gila Gamliel warned on Wednesday of a catastrophic event in the Haifa Port chemical deposits a day after a massive blast shook the Lebanese capital of Beirut in an event believed to have stemmed from similar storage units.
The Likud minister said she has been warning about the potential dangers of the Haifa Port chemical facilities since she entered office in May. Gamliel added she is promoting a plan that will see all chemical depots moved out of the Haifa metropolitan area within five years.