With the continuation of Israel’s aggressive airstrikes and ground incursion into Lebanon, familial ties and personal connections are exerting heavy pressures, while existing societal issues are multiplying, according to humanitarian workers. The escalating conflict has resulted in approximately 1.3 million people being uprooted from their homes in a nation of approximately 5.2 million citizens. Half a million of these have sought refuge in Syria, and others have taken shelter in educational premises converted into temporary homes. As of October 23rd, 992 of the nearly 1,100 officially recognised shelters were at full capacity, stated Lebanese officials. A considerable number find themselves exposed on streets, taking refuge with friends or family, or seeking any available shelter. The Lebanese Government estimates it needs €230 million per month to cater to the basic necessities of these displaced individuals.
Lebanon is home to the largest Palestinian camp, Ein el-Hilweh, situated south of the Awali river in Saida. Israeli forces continue to instruct residents to relocate to the region north of the river. Despite the grave danger illustrated by an Israeli strike on the camp on October 1st, which led to seven deaths, Ein el-Hilweh remains an inevitable destination for those who have run out of options. A humanitarian worker, who wished to remain anonymous to safeguard her organisation’s operations, shared that approximately 100,000 individuals reside in the camp.
She conveyed that most of these latest evacuees, nearly “98 per cent”, have been accommodated by relatives as they cannot afford their own rentals. She detailed that conflicts like the present one drastically deteriorate conditions within the camp. The area was already struggling with profound issues like 80% poverty, 70% unemployment, and the war has only exacerbated these problems, leading to higher poverty and unemployment levels. The situation has gotten so grim that even daily construction workers have been left unemployed, as fear over the uncertain future has halted construction and repair work.
Being forced into confined living conditions aggravates stress and incites more conflict within families. Parents are more prone to lose patience with their children, and any pre-existing abuse is likely to intensify. Acute circumstances lead to an increase in domestic violence. Desperate to sustain their families, locals resort to theft for basic necessities. Drugs, having been a longstanding issue in the camp, offer a desperate form of escapism for many. The aid worker shared the concerning trend of drug dealers capitalizing on the situation by offering teenagers free drugs, only to groom them into further involvement.
When probed regarding the prospect of the camp’s future, she made a gesture of despair, raising her hands to the sky. “How I long for the issues [to be] resolved, but my belief in that occurring wavers, especially in relation to Ein el-Hilweh. It is a place deprived of security… The local populace grapples with destitution and unemployment… Only when they possess the chance to earn a living, there becomes the opportunity to stir up some hope.”
‘Nothing belongs to me of my existence’
The Lebanese Aisha Al-Qassem (35), relocated to the camp together with her spouse and sextuplet following an urgent departure from their home in the Nabatieh governorate.
Terrible air raids forced them to make their escape on the 28th of September. “The terrifying booms of the air raids started as a distant rumble before they gradually drew closer. My children were in terror, pleading relentlessly for us to evacuate.”
Without the luxury of personal transportation, a kind neighbour proffered a ride in their van. An ordinarily half-hour journey sprawled into eight painstaking hours. “I departed in the clothes I slept in,” she shared. “I mistakenly believed that one my beloved daughters had died, amidst all the chaos I found myself hysterically pleading with my husband about her missing presence.”
Upon their arrival at Ein el-Hilweh, they linked up with Al-Qassem’s sister, a prior inhabitant of the camp. In the not too distant future, they were joined by another sister and a brother. Currently, their habitation consists of a dozen individuals packed into two rooms, inclusive of a kitchen and a washroom.
Al-Qassem’s father initially joined them, but in time returned to their home village. “He was of senior age and found it hard coping with the children,” she reported. Her spouse, formally employed within the construction sector, also took his leave. “He left for Beirut to be with his kin as he found no comfort here. With him gone, the weight of responsibility lies on me to care for our six children. I’m gripped with fear for them… At moments, the idea of returning to the village surfaces in my mind.”
Her sibling briefly managed to secure work within the olive industry, quickly put to an end following another Israeli attack. “I have two children in dire need of milk and diapers,” Al-Qassem expresses. “In the present condition, asking others for assistance is no viable option, as each one is focussed on their own survival. The mental strain has led me to contemplate medicating to alleviate my depressive symptoms – I simply have no energy left.”
In their previous life – as Al-Qassem describes – “peace and family were our most valued possessions”. They prided in owning property, but now she solemnly admitted “nothing of my world belongs to me anymore”.
“A woman expressed the urgent needs of those who have been displaced, highlighting the crucial role of cash support to uphold dignity. She shared her distress from when her eight-month-old infant fell onto his face and the local hospital declined to perform a scan due to her lack of funds, emphasising the necessity of having cash on hand.
Maysaa Batlouni, a Syrian woman of 30 years, arrived at the camp with her husband and five children. Initially, they found shelter but are currently living with a relative. Their living quarters houses two families, a total of 11 individuals, and comprises an undersized room along with a kitchen and a bathroom.
Batlouni recollected their escape from Nabatieh after an air strike shattered their neighbour’s residence, damaging parts of their own in the process. Despite seeking refuge in a shelter for three days post the devastation, circumstances were unbearable. Her husband is currently unemployed and although they have registered with two NGOs, their assistance has included only three mattresses, a duo of pillows and a solitary food package.
Batlouni’s foremost concern is tranquillity and that her children lead peaceful lives. Her two-year-old son underwent brain surgery three months back, however, financial constraints prevent her from affording his much-needed follow-up treatments. Batlouni’s stern focus lies on the rudimentary needs.
Originally a refugee from the Syrian war in 2013, Batlouni lamented about the distress both in her home country of Syria and her current location. Her priority is her children having an existence worth living.
Rana al Baik, aged 38, fled the southern suburbs of Beirut with her six children, seeking refuge where her 45-year-old cousin, Samar Hamada, resided in Ein el-Hilweh. Hamada herself exited the severely impacted suburbs with her four children and husband and took shelter at her parent’s two-roomed abode which possesses a kitchen and bathroom. These women of Palestinian heritage yearn for their lives to return to their former state of normalcy.”
Baik and her relatives resided on a building’s fourth floor where the Hizbullah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was assassinated. They were aware that the building was a Hizbullah base, albeit uninformed about the residents therein. The family hit the streets for safety as individuals bolted and destruction ensued. Following this, they relocated to her brother’s residence.
Her son, a 28-year-old, sustained a mental breakdown due to the impact of the “bunker buster” explosives that brought down the building sheltering Nasrallah. The aftermath of the explosion was so terrifying that it caused her daughter to be sick. The explosion was sudden and it felt like a scene from a film. Prior to the incident, they were watching Israeli premier, Binyamin Netanyahu delivering a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. That event caused deep-seated trauma and they continue to live in a state of enhancement, as an attack could occur anytime.
Today, even the sound of doors shutting or motorcycles driving past terrifies the children. The family’s wish is to return to their residential home and resume their routine life.
Before being forced out of their home, Baik was employed at a nursery whilst her partner was a water supplier. She explained that their financial situation was critical prior to the incident. Thoughts of where their next meal would come from occupy her thoughts. Baik’s brother-in-law, Hamada, served as a chef at a bistro.
“Our husbands suffer from emotional distress and difficulties; they’re unprepared for a life of inactivity,” Baik conveyed. She has sought assistance from several organisations and is awaiting a positive response. She knows there are many individuals in similar situations, all waiting their turn for assistance.