I HAVE BEEN living in Beirut for a decade. Being in Beirut during the recent bombing has been incredibly difficult. The nights are filled with the frightening sounds of drones, airstrikes and the sounds of bombs hitting the ground, each one shaking our homes and sense of safety.
It’s heartbreaking to see families fleeing, looking for shelter and rescue. The mental strain is heavy; the constant noise, news and evacuation alerts sent by the Israel Defence Forces to residents create fear. Since the escalation, our lives have been completely disrupted, and finding a way back to normality seems so far away.
Where possible, Trócaire colleagues have had to relocate. Some are still in high-risk areas with their families and this is worrying – we are constantly monitoring their safety. They are receiving calls on their landlines from the IDF telling them to evacuate because they will be bombed. Many of our team have children, some just newborn babies.
When you are sitting in your home, and you hear the sound of a huge bomb going off and your windows and doors shake, and you hear neighbours screaming, it is surreal. It’s scary because we are being told that these bombings are targeted and precise but they aren’t. The whole country is being bombed and if you aren’t directly affected by the bombing then it’s the evacuation threats or low passes overhead by planes which break the sound barrier – they are using a lot of mental warfare on the population to spread fear. Of course, we feel afraid.
Beirut used to be known as the ‘sleepless city’. It once thrived with festivals, parties and music. Now, the atmosphere has changed drastically and the city is sleepless for a different reason. The nights are filled with the terrifying sounds of bombing and airstrikes that rattle homes, especially after midnight.
You can hear the bombing even from miles away. You hear it, you feel it and you can’t help but wonder who is affected and who might have been killed. The days are equally challenging, with the sound of explosions and alerts urging us to leave buildings adding to the constant tension.
I wanted to stay in Beirut so I could offer any support needed to our partners but after 27 September, I had to relocate to the north to my parents’ hometown, seeking some sense of safety. The bombardment just got too heavy and dangerous. You could feel and hear the bombs all the time. I remember going out in my car to get groceries and I had to turn back – the noise and the sheer number of bombs being dropped was shocking. I felt I just had to get out of the city if I was to be able to continue my work.
Lebanon is a small country, so it’s impossible to claim that only certain areas are affected by the ongoing conflict. Since October 7th of last year, the entire nation has felt the impact, with people having to leave their homes. Initially, the situation was somewhat controlled by agreed-upon rules of conflict, but this has drastically changed in the past three weeks. Over 1.2 million people have been displaced, fleeing their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs.
The situation is dire; people are seeking refuge everywhere, and collective shelters are now overcrowded. Thousands have decided to flee to Syria, in search of security, uncertain if it will truly be granted, but feeling they have no other choice.
On a psychological level, the morale of those living in Lebanon has plummeted. There is a pervasive sense of hopelessness, distress, fear and the spectre of death. Lebanon is known for the generosity of its people and its welcoming culture, transcending ethnicity and multi-cultural background. In these trying times, we rely on this spirit of generosity to support one another, and the Lebanese are doing their utmost to help each other.
Since the onset of the conflict last October, Trócaire has been actively working with our local partners, including Caritas Lebanon, to support those who have had to leave their homes. With the recent escalation, the needs have skyrocketed and everything is urgently required.
Thanks to our long standing partnership and years of experience working with our local connections, we have been among the first responders to the many displaced. Our supports have included offering multi-purpose cash assistance, relief items and food parcels to those in need especially to households in the south, while in other areas including Beirut, we support the collective shelters that are run by the government. This includes the distribution of essential relief items such as food, kitchen sets, bedding and hygiene kits, along with psychosocial support to help people cope with the trauma they are experiencing.
The lack of international condemnation is just heartbreaking. Trócaire is urgently calling for an immediate ceasefire; this violence cannot continue. Civilians are being murdered, homes, hospitals and shelters are being bombed, and medical staff are becoming victims while carrying out their rescue missions. I implore the international community to break its silence, condemn the attacks on civilians and advocate for an immediate ceasefire.
We long for this war to end, so people can return to whatever remains of their homes and lands. Lebanon is a country known for its diverse culture, peace and joy, and we do not wish to see this war continue. We want our children to be at school nurturing their dreams, not worrying about them being harmed. We continue to pray for peace.
Patricia Hakmeh is Trócaire’s Head of Programmes in Lebanon. To donate, please visit Trócaire.org.
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