Israel’s continuing air strikes may have forced as many as one million people from their homes across Lebanon, the country’s prime minister, Najib Mikati, has said.
Lebanon’s health ministry reported 105 people killed in Sunday’s strikes – two days after Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Meanwhile, Hezbollah fired more rockets into northern Israel.
Lebanese families displaced by the air strikes have told the BBC of their fear and anxiety over what is to come.
We visited one school in a southern Beirut suburb housing around 2,000 people who have fled their homes. Many of them were having to sleep in the courtyard because they could not find space indoors.
‘I just grabbed my grandchildren and ran’
Grandmother Um Ahmad says a building just next to their home in southern Lebanon was badly hit by an Israeli air strike. She and her family survived “magically”, she says.
“I just grabbed my grandchildren and ran. A part of our house was in flames.”
They jumped into their car and drove off while more buildings were being bombed in their street. They looked back to see their house was also levelled to the ground.
“At least we know for sure that we don’t have a home to go back to,” Um Ahmed says while trying not to break into tears.
“I don’t want to cry. There is nothing to cry about any more. We lost everything, but thanks to God, we survived.”
They fled to Beirut from a tiny village near the city of Tyre. Their refuge is a classroom that is now a shelter for hundreds of people.
Laundry is draped around the room, hanging off the whiteboard, walls and windows.
Um Ahmed’s two grandsons have disabilities and mental health issues.
She sounds frustrated and angry: “I’m sad for Gaza’s children, but what is our children’s fault?”
We hear a loud bang as emergency teams offload some supplies outside in the corridor. Her younger grandson starts crying.
“Look how the child is scared. With every loud sound, every door slamming, he starts crying and screaming.”
She says her grandchildren can’t sleep at night any more, so she and her husband cannot either. “All the children here are reacting to any loud sound. They think it’s an air strike.”
Um’s husband Barakat joins us. He blames the politicians without mentioning Hezbollah.
Source: BBC News
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