Families Fleeing Israeli Attacks Find Refuge in Lebanese Mountains

Lebanon Sees Over 1 Million Displaced Due to Israeli Military Campaign

A recent escalation of violence between Israel and Lebanon has resulted in widespread displacement, with over 1 million people forced to flee their homes due to air attacks and ground invasion. The conflict began on March 2, following a joint US-Israeli operation against Iran.

In the town of Qabr Chamoun, located about an hour from Beirut, a school has been converted into a shelter for displaced families from southern Lebanon. The schoolyard is now used for aid deliveries, while classrooms have been repurposed as makeshift beds for those seeking refuge.

Aymane Malli, one of approximately 100 people to seek shelter at the school, expressed his situation: “We wait… Maybe one day everything will end, and we can return home.” He fled with his family from Habbouch, near Tyre, after Israel began bombing Lebanon on March 2.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than 1,300 people have been killed, including 120 children, and over 1.1 million displaced due to Israeli air attacks and forced evacuation threats. Aid groups report that many families are being turned away from shelters due to capacity constraints.

In recent weeks, Israel has increased its strikes and initiated a ground invasion of southern Lebanon in response to an attack by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group. The United Nations has documented over 10,000 ceasefire violations since a truce took effect in late November 2024.

Action Against Hunger reports that more than 400 people have been turned away from shelters at the Qabr Chamoun school due to capacity constraints. The organization is supporting over 43,000 displaced people across 247 collective shelters. Regional director Suzanne Takkenberg stated that “major gaps remain” in humanitarian response efforts, leaving critical needs unmet and putting lives at risk.

Conditions in some shelters are deteriorating, with reports of water leaks, gastrointestinal illnesses, and cases of diarrhoea and vomiting among infants. Aid groups are working to address these issues, but challenges persist due to reduced humanitarian funding.

Source: Al Jazeera