At present, there is a desperate urgency in eastern Lebanon to establish shelters.
Schools, universities, and sports facilities are being converted into centers for humanitarian aid for those displaced from their residences.
As dusk settled over the town of Qob Elias, located 25 miles from Baalbek, we encountered a technical college being emptied out by a team of local volunteers.
Desks, tables, and chairs were taken out; mattresses, medical supplies, and drinking water were brought in.
We met Iman and her family of five, part of the tens of thousands who have sought refuge from the Baalbek area due to Israeli air strikes.
The initial evacuation notification was issued on Wednesday, causing widespread fear among locals. Uncertainty loomed over how much time residents had before missiles began to descend, leaving Iman and her family with only the clothes on their bodies.
‘We were exceedingly frightened,’ states Iman (right)
“We were exceedingly frightened,” she recounted to Sky News.
“We abandoned our homes, we left our possessions, and we forsook everything because we needed to find a safe haven for ourselves and our children.”
Their swift actions likely preserved their lives. Iman shared a video demonstrating an airstrike targeting her village mere hours after the evacuation directive.
The Israeli military asserted that it would solely target Hezbollah facilities and had no intention of harming non-combatants.
However, such assertions feel hollow to the local populace.
“This is untrue,” Iman declared, her voice filled with indignation.
“They are targeting civilian homes, they strike indiscriminately, they have destroyed properties and taken lives.
“What wrongdoing have we committed? What sin do these children bear? We don’t align with anyone; we are public servants, we are agricultural workers, we are not engaged in combat.”
A technical college being repurposed
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In the nearby town of Zahlé, there is no capacity for newly displaced individuals. The town is already filled with those who were forced to relocate earlier in the conflict.
We visited a school where families are stacked closely together.
Hallways and classrooms have been converted into kitchens and sleeping areas, while laundry hangs on the playground fence. It’s rudimentary but offers safety.
Ali caring for his four-year-old grandson
We encountered Ali Hamiye, who fled the Baalbek region last month. He is here with his four-year-old grandson, who has escaped the actual dangers of war but not the accompanying trauma.
“Every time he hears a drone, he rushes to me for protection, exclaiming, ‘Grandpa! Drone! Drone!'” Ali shared, while embracing his grandson.
“I reassure him, ‘This is merely an airplane, do not fear, it cares for us.’
“I say this to prevent him from experiencing trauma.”
Over 1.2 million individuals have been displaced in Lebanon since the onset of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel last October.
This accounts for one-fifth of the nation’s population.
Finding suitable accommodation for them now poses a significant challenge.
(In northern Israel, it is estimated that approximately 60,000 individuals have been compelled to leave their homes due to missiles launched over the border by Hezbollah.)
