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STORY: UNHCR / LEBANON ATTACKS CIVILIANS IMPACT
TRT: 04:12
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 26 SEPTEMBER 2024, BEIRUT, LEBANON
1. Various shots, Hameeda at school where displaced people are sheltering
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hameeda, Displaced Person:
“I left at the last possible moment. When I lost all hope, and I knew I shouldn’t stay there. Firstly, I have three daughters, and I have no one to help me but God. We were afraid the roads would be cut off was bombing and loud sounds around us were so intense one could not stay put.”
3. Med shot, Hameeda at school where displaced people are sheltering
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hameeda, Displaced Person:
“There was no time to pack or take anything, we left with the clothes on our backs only, nothing more.”
5. Wide shot, Hameeda at school where displaced people are sheltering
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hameeda, Displaced Person:
“It reminds me a lot of the war in Syria. We lived that period with difficulty, and now it is even harder. I hope this does not last long, and I wish it would be over sooner than later.”
7. Med shot, Hameeda on her phone
8. Wide shot, shelter
9. Various shots, Ali Trad at shelter
10. Various shots, Ali fixing cable for light connection
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Trad, Displaced Person:
“The conditions are very, very difficult. They did not allow time for anyone to go to a safe place. There is nowhere safe. Airstrikes did not leave anyone unharmed.”
12. Various shots, Ali with his baby nephew
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Trad, Displaced Person:
“Coming to Beirut is very, very difficult. Imagine that if someone leaves at 11 in the morning, they will arrive at 5 the next morning. Suffering, cars overheating, fuel (consumption). We left without any money or clothes this was very, very difficult. May God help people who could not find their children. One would be looking for his son, the other for his daughter. It was very, very difficult. It was indescribable.”
14. Various shots, aid workers delivering mattresses to shelter
The relentless, most violent and wide-reaching attacks Lebanon has experienced in almost two decades have pushed tens of thousands from the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Bekaa to safer locations in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the North.
Movements peaked on both Monday and Tuesday, creating congestion and chaos. They have continued more gradually as many people are still looking for homes and shelters.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hameeda, Displaced Person:
“I left at the last possible moment. When I lost all hope, and I knew I shouldn’t stay there. Firstly, I have three daughters, and I have no one to help me but God. We were afraid the roads would be cut off was bombing and loud sounds around us were so intense one could not stay put.”
While there has been an increase in border crossings from Lebanon to Syria over the past days, most displaced individuals remain inside Lebanon as the country continues to host an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, and over 11,000 refugees of other nationalities.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hameeda, Displaced Person:
“There was no time to pack or take anything, we left with the clothes on our backs only, nothing more.”
Current hostilities – compounded by the socio-economic situation – create challenges for all communities, all of whom deserve equal access to safety and dignity."
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hameeda, Displaced Person:
“It reminds me a lot of the war in Syria. We lived that period with difficulty, and now it is even harder. I hope this does not last long, and I wish it would be over sooner than later.”
Lebanon saw similar upheavals during the July 2006 war with Israel, when Lebanese fled to Syria and Europe. But the country is in a much more precarious situation now, as it faces an enduring socio-economic crisis.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Trad, Displaced Person:
“The conditions are very, very difficult. They did not allow time for anyone to go to a safe place. There is nowhere safe. Airstrikes did not leave anyone unharmed.”
While a significant aid community is present in Lebanon today, regular aid programmes absorb most existing resources, leaving few funds to swiftly ramp up and address new needs. Logistical access challenges, including any potential airport closure, will add to those impediments.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Trad, Displaced Person:
“Coming to Beirut is very, very difficult. Imagine that if someone leaves at 11 in the morning, they will arrive at 5 the next morning. Suffering, cars overheating, fuel (consumption). We left without any money or clothes this was very, very difficult. May God help people who could not find their children. One would be looking for his son, the other for his daughter. It was very, very difficult. It was indescribable.”
UNHCR’s response continues to focus on all affected communities, including Lebanese and refugees.
The main needs include safe shelters, core relief items, health care, cash assistance, and protection services.
Since October 2023, UNHCR has provided over 140,000 core relief items, and cash assistance for over 68,560 displaced people, while supporting collective shelters and ensuring access to health care and psychosocial support.
