UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Amid UN appeals for diplomacy in the Middle East, UN humanitarians on Tuesday warned the number of people facing acute levels of hunger globally could reach tens of millions more.

The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the total number of people worldwide facing acute levels of hunger could reach record levels in 2026 if the escalation in the Middle East continues to destabilize the global economy.

"New analysis by WFP estimates that almost 45 million more people could fall into acute food insecurity or worse if the conflict does not end by the middle of the year, and if oil prices remain above 100 U.S. dollars a barrel," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general.

Humanitarians have warned that the throttling of the Strait of Hormuz not only strangles the passage of oil tankers but also chokes the movement of vessels carrying fertilizer, which is much-needed in food production.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the United Nations and its partners continue to scale up humanitarian assistance, providing food, shelter, water and medical support to families forced to flee their homes.

In Lebanon, UN agencies -- including WFP, the UN Refugee Agency and the UN Children's Fund -- and partners have distributed over 1.1 million hot meals and tens of thousands of essential supply kits and bedding to collective shelters. Hundreds of thousands of liters of clean water have also been delivered.

OCHA said that more than 1 million people driven by displacement orders have now registered as displaced, nearly 300,000 of them children. Only a fraction of those uprooted are living in public shelters.

"OCHA is very concerned over attacks on healthcare," the office said, adding that on Monday, at least three paramedics were killed in Israeli attacks across the Nabatieh and Tyre districts. "These attacks are further straining Lebanon's health system and increasing risks for medical personnel providing life-saving care."

In Iran, health personnel and facilities continue to be affected. Authorities reported 17 health workers killed and more than 100 others injured, while more than 240 health facilities were damaged. Tens of thousands of homes and hundreds of water infrastructure sites have sustained damage.

The office said governments in the Gulf region report that at least 15 civilians have been killed and many others injured in incidents linked to the hostilities.

"Humanitarian access must be protected," OCHA said. "All parties must uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians, including health workers and humanitarian personnel."

The office said that restrictions imposed on operational crossings into the Gaza Strip since the conflict began have resulted in only a "trickle of humanitarian aid" getting through to civilians, and warned that continued reports of Israeli strikes and shelling in residential areas are also increasing risks for civilians.

Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem remains the only operational crossing through which humanitarian and commercial cargo enter the Strip.

The UN Human Rights Office said the Israeli government has accelerated unlawful settlement expansion and annexation of large parts of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, forcibly displacing more than 36,000 Palestinians amid increasing violence by Israeli security forces and settlers.

Reports of settler violence have increased since the conflict began on Feb. 28. ■