UN calls for 150 mln dollars for war victims in Lebanon

BEIRUT, July 24 (Reuters) The United Nations today appealed for 150 million dollars in humanitarian aid to help people in Lebanon afflicted by nearly two weeks of conflict between Hizbollah and Israel.

Jan Egeland, the UN emergency relief coordinator, said this was ''the hour of greatest need for the Lebanese people''.

''It is a situation that is glaringly in need of our assistance,'' Egeland said at the launch of the ''Flash Appeal for Lebanon'' in Beirut. In an initial appeal on Saturday, he had called for at least 100 million dollars .

The revised sum would cover the needs of 800,000 people for three months, including food, health care, water and sanitation.

Aid efforts have been hindered by Israel's destruction of civilian infrastructure including roads and bridges and its targeting of commercial trucks, a UN statement said.

''The ongoing hostilities continue to prevent access to affected populations and free movement of relief staff and goods,'' the statement said.

Israel has been launching daily air strikes on southern Lebanon, southern Beirut and other parts of the country. It is trying to stop Hizbollah from launching rockets into Israel.

The war has killed 373 in Lebanon and 37 in Israel.

''We are particularly worried about the population in southern Lebanon and parts of the Bekaa valley,'' Egeland said.

''It's here where the civilians are now in the most difficult crossfire and it's from where they now are becoming displaced.'' An estimated 700,000 people have fled their homes, with around 150,000 of those having crossed into Syria.

A full aid operation required a halt to fighting between Hizbollah and Israel. In the absence of a ceasefire, the United Nations was seeking guarantees of safe passage from the Israeli army so aid could travel safely to and through Lebanon.

Apart from hitting Lebanon's roads and bridges, Israel has also imposed a sea blockade and blown up the runway at Beirut airport.

''We have asked for safe passage to three ports -- Beirut harbour, Tripoli harbour and Tyre,'' Egeland said. ''We are looking for and have progress in our talks with the Israelis for inland routes,'' he added.

''On Wednesday we hope to take the first major UN convoy from Beirut, going south hopefully to Tyre.'' REUTERS MQA RK2310