Residents refuse to leave the Lebanese Hezbollah bastion of Tyre despite Israeli strikes
As Israel has ramped up attacks on south Lebanon it has called for residents to evacuate – but some in the Hezbollah stronghold of Tyre are refusing to leave their homes and businesses despite the danger.
Issued on: 14/03/2026 -
By: FRANCE 24
Video by: Catherine NORRIS TRENT/Achraf ABID
As fierce fighting continues in southern Lebanon, Israel has issued mass evacuation orders for 10% of Lebanon’s territory there, including the city of Tyre.
In the country's fifth largest city, FRANCE 24's team on the ground found an atmosphere of defiance, with those who haven’t already fled refusing to leave.
"We grew up with Israeli crimes, what happened here will not change our resolve," said Khalil, the manager of a local energy business.
The power plant he works in was destroyed by Israeli strikes, but he vowed to stay in the city. "We are already cleaning everything up, and we will rebuild everything as it was before, even better," he said.
Click on the video player above to watch the full FRANCE 24 report.
As Israel has ramped up attacks on south Lebanon it has called for residents to evacuate – but some in the Hezbollah stronghold of Tyre are refusing to leave their homes and businesses despite the danger.
Issued on: 14/03/2026 -
By: FRANCE 24
Video by: Catherine NORRIS TRENT/Achraf ABID
A resident of south Lebanon's Tyre speaks to FRANCE 24 about why he is refusing to evacuate the city despite Israeli air strikes. © FRANCE 24 screengrab
04:02
04:02
As fierce fighting continues in southern Lebanon, Israel has issued mass evacuation orders for 10% of Lebanon’s territory there, including the city of Tyre.
In the country's fifth largest city, FRANCE 24's team on the ground found an atmosphere of defiance, with those who haven’t already fled refusing to leave.
"We grew up with Israeli crimes, what happened here will not change our resolve," said Khalil, the manager of a local energy business.
The power plant he works in was destroyed by Israeli strikes, but he vowed to stay in the city. "We are already cleaning everything up, and we will rebuild everything as it was before, even better," he said.
Click on the video player above to watch the full FRANCE 24 report.
Hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Lebanon as Israel orders swathes of the country to evacuate amid its bombing campaign against Hezbollah in the south. As the humanitarian crisis worsens, local NGOs are doing what they can to help.
Issued on: 14/03/2026 - RFI
Volunteers prepare meals at the community kitchen Nation Station for displaced people and refugees in Beirut, Lebanon, on 5 March, 2026. © Reuters - Claudia Greco
02:06
In the Geitawi neighbourhood of Beirut, around 40 people are preparing huge pots of bulgur and tomatoes.
The premises are a former petrol station, converted by NGO Nation Station into a community kitchen after the Beirut port explosion in August 2020.
Its volunteers are cooking for people displaced by the war launched by Israel and the United States against Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah.
"Most people have nowhere to go, the shelters are full, we cannot meet all their needs. Many NGOs have doubled their efforts, as we have, but it is not enough," says Joséphine Abou Abdo, the co-founder of Nation Station.
"The government does not have the means to help. And there are not enough people helping to support us. This is a serious crisis – I would even say it's worse than during the last war."
02:06
In the Geitawi neighbourhood of Beirut, around 40 people are preparing huge pots of bulgur and tomatoes.
The premises are a former petrol station, converted by NGO Nation Station into a community kitchen after the Beirut port explosion in August 2020.
Its volunteers are cooking for people displaced by the war launched by Israel and the United States against Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah.
"Most people have nowhere to go, the shelters are full, we cannot meet all their needs. Many NGOs have doubled their efforts, as we have, but it is not enough," says Joséphine Abou Abdo, the co-founder of Nation Station.
"The government does not have the means to help. And there are not enough people helping to support us. This is a serious crisis – I would even say it's worse than during the last war."
'Powerless'
Hanna Dulière, a 14-year-old French national, is among the volunteers. "In this country, we all need a certain amount of solidarity, otherwise nothing will hold together," she says.
Another French volunteer, Soledad André-Amra, says helping out gives her a sense of purpose.
"We feel very powerless about what is happening. It is important to be able to do something, even if it is not much," she says. "There are still a lot of people living on the streets today and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced."
The roughly 2,200 hot meals they are preparing will be delivered to 15 schools that are housing people fleeing the conflict.
More than 800,000 people are currently displaced in Lebanon, according to the country's Disaster Risk Management Unit – roughly one in seven of the country's 5.8 million people. Nearly 126,000 of those displaced are housed in shared shelters.
Israel has placed nearly 1,500 square kilometres of Lebanese territory under evacuation orders, including much of the south of the country and Beirut's southern suburbs, both Hezbollah strongholds.
Last week, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned that if the war didn’t end, a humanitarian disaster was looming.
"The humanitarian and political consequences of this displacement could be unprecedented," he said.
Hanna Dulière, a 14-year-old French national, is among the volunteers. "In this country, we all need a certain amount of solidarity, otherwise nothing will hold together," she says.
Another French volunteer, Soledad André-Amra, says helping out gives her a sense of purpose.
"We feel very powerless about what is happening. It is important to be able to do something, even if it is not much," she says. "There are still a lot of people living on the streets today and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced."
The roughly 2,200 hot meals they are preparing will be delivered to 15 schools that are housing people fleeing the conflict.
More than 800,000 people are currently displaced in Lebanon, according to the country's Disaster Risk Management Unit – roughly one in seven of the country's 5.8 million people. Nearly 126,000 of those displaced are housed in shared shelters.
Israel has placed nearly 1,500 square kilometres of Lebanese territory under evacuation orders, including much of the south of the country and Beirut's southern suburbs, both Hezbollah strongholds.
Last week, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned that if the war didn’t end, a humanitarian disaster was looming.
"The humanitarian and political consequences of this displacement could be unprecedented," he said.
France, UN push for direct talks to end hostilities between Israel and Lebanon
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said Lebanon was ready to engage in "direct talks" with Israel and offered to host negotiations in Paris. This came on the heels of a visit to Beirut by UN chief Antonio Guterres, who also urged for a diplomatic solution the crisis.
Issued on: 14/03/2026 - RFI
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said Lebanon was ready to engage in "direct talks" with Israel and offered to host negotiations in Paris. This came on the heels of a visit to Beirut by UN chief Antonio Guterres, who also urged for a diplomatic solution the crisis.
Issued on: 14/03/2026 - RFI
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Saturday, 14 March 2026. AP - Hassan Ammar
"The Lebanese government has signalled its willingness to engage in direct talks with Israel," Macron said on social media platform X, adding that "all sections of society must be represented in these talks."
Macron said he had spoken to Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and told them that "France is ready to facilitate these talks by hosting them in Paris".
"Everything must be done to prevent Lebanon from descending into chaos," Macron added.
"Hezbollah must immediately halt its reckless course. Israel must abandon plans for a large-scale offensive and cease its massive air strikes."
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when the militant group, funded and armed by Iran, attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday his group was ready for a long confrontation with Israel.
France said it was deeply concerned by the escalation of violence and the displacement of people – calling on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilian populations.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France was sending 60 tonnes of aid to help with the humanitarian crisis.
"The Lebanese government has signalled its willingness to engage in direct talks with Israel," Macron said on social media platform X, adding that "all sections of society must be represented in these talks."
Macron said he had spoken to Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and told them that "France is ready to facilitate these talks by hosting them in Paris".
"Everything must be done to prevent Lebanon from descending into chaos," Macron added.
"Hezbollah must immediately halt its reckless course. Israel must abandon plans for a large-scale offensive and cease its massive air strikes."
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when the militant group, funded and armed by Iran, attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday his group was ready for a long confrontation with Israel.
France said it was deeply concerned by the escalation of violence and the displacement of people – calling on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilian populations.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France was sending 60 tonnes of aid to help with the humanitarian crisis.
Rescue workers carry a body from an apartment destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Saturday, 14 March 2026. AP - Mohammad Zaatari
Diplomatic avenues
Meanwhile, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Saturday on a visit to Beirut that diplomatic channels remained open to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
"There is no military solution, only diplomacy, dialogue and full implementation of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions. The diplomatic avenues are available, including through my special coordinator for Lebanon... and through key member states," he said.
"We are doing everything we can now to bring about an immediate de-escalation and the cessation of hostilities," Guterres told reporters.
"My special coordinator is engaging with all actors around the clock to bring the parties to the table and UNIFIL peacekeepers... remain in position," he said, referring to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
He said attacks against peacekeepers and positions were "completely unacceptable and they must stop. They are in breach of international law and may constitute war crimes".
Three peacekeepers serving with the Ghanaian contingent were wounded earlier this month in south Lebanon.
"My message to the international community is simply step up your engagement, empower the Lebanese state and support the Lebanese Armed Forces to secure the capabilities and resources they need," Guterres said.
Decisive phase
Israel, which had continued to strike targets in Lebanon even before the war, despite a 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah, has launched deadly air attacks, sent ground troops into border areas and issued evacuation warnings that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
On Saturday Israel said the war had entered a "decisive phase", as explosions rocked cities across the Middle East, with strikes on the US embassy in Baghdad and a major Emirati energy facility.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that the war would "continue as long as necessary".
Israeli air and ground assaults have killed at least 826, including 106 children since 2 March, according to the Lebanese authorities.
An overnight strike in Burj Qalawiya, southern Lebanon killed a dozen doctors, paramedics and nurses at a healthcare clinic, health authorities said Saturday.
During his visit to Beirut, Guterres launched a $325 million (€277 million) appeal to support Lebanon as it responds to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.
(with newswires)
Diplomatic avenues
Meanwhile, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Saturday on a visit to Beirut that diplomatic channels remained open to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
"There is no military solution, only diplomacy, dialogue and full implementation of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions. The diplomatic avenues are available, including through my special coordinator for Lebanon... and through key member states," he said.
"We are doing everything we can now to bring about an immediate de-escalation and the cessation of hostilities," Guterres told reporters.
"My special coordinator is engaging with all actors around the clock to bring the parties to the table and UNIFIL peacekeepers... remain in position," he said, referring to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
He said attacks against peacekeepers and positions were "completely unacceptable and they must stop. They are in breach of international law and may constitute war crimes".
Three peacekeepers serving with the Ghanaian contingent were wounded earlier this month in south Lebanon.
"My message to the international community is simply step up your engagement, empower the Lebanese state and support the Lebanese Armed Forces to secure the capabilities and resources they need," Guterres said.
Decisive phase
Israel, which had continued to strike targets in Lebanon even before the war, despite a 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah, has launched deadly air attacks, sent ground troops into border areas and issued evacuation warnings that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
On Saturday Israel said the war had entered a "decisive phase", as explosions rocked cities across the Middle East, with strikes on the US embassy in Baghdad and a major Emirati energy facility.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that the war would "continue as long as necessary".
Israeli air and ground assaults have killed at least 826, including 106 children since 2 March, according to the Lebanese authorities.
An overnight strike in Burj Qalawiya, southern Lebanon killed a dozen doctors, paramedics and nurses at a healthcare clinic, health authorities said Saturday.
During his visit to Beirut, Guterres launched a $325 million (€277 million) appeal to support Lebanon as it responds to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.
(with newswires)
‘I left everything for my grandchildren’: In Beirut, displaced families exhausted by endless war
More than 700,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Lebanon since the country was dragged back into war with Israel on March 2. FRANCE 24’s reporter met with displaced families who have found refuge in Beirut’s overwhelmed emergency shelters, and others who have no choice but to sleep out in the streets of the Lebanese capital.
Issued on: 11/03/2026
FRAHCE24
‘Going to get us out of here’
Ahmed* looks exhausted. He is also Syrian and lived in Dahiyeh until the war broke out. Now, he stays awake every night to keep watch over his wife and their 11 children. “See that blanket,” he says, pointing to a navy blue cover. “It’s for 12 people. We left with nothing”.
Despite the hardship, Ahmed has not lost hope. “They came and got our names yesterday. Every day, they come and tell us they’re going to get us out of here,” he says, referring to an NGO that helps them.
Not long ago, Martyrs’ Square was packed with people. Whole families camped out here because there were no space left in emergency shelters. Lebanon’s Social Affairs Minister Hanine el-Sayyed says more than 500 emergency accommodation units have been opened since the start of the war. But they are still far too few given the scale of the humanitarian crisis unfolding.
The United Nations says more than 700,000 people have been forcibly displaced since Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, prompting Israel to respond immediately and with overwhelming force.
The ‘Slaughterhouse’
Not far from Beirut’s port, in the impoverished Karantina neighbourhood, a former slaughterhouse has become the country’s largest shelter for the displaced.
It is something of a no man’s land, and its hangars were erected by the NGO Offre Joie in record time in 2024 – during the last war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“It was in complete ruins. The site hadn’t been used in 20 years,” Cynthia Mahdi, a volunteer in her 20s, explains. “We cleared away all the rubble and rebuilt everything. We created four blocks: A, B, C and D, and inside each block, we set up rooms. We also installed toilets and showers outside. We tried to do everything from start to finish: we opened a pharmacy, and doctors started coming here as well as a psychologist for the children because all these people are frustrated, traumatised and need someone to talk to.”
One year later, displaced families are back in the shelter, which is doing everything it can to provide dignified accommodation. More than 1,100 people currently live here, while others are impatiently waiting for the last block to be finalised – hopefully within the next few days.
“The Lebanese are used to war, of course, but they’re frustrated, and angry,” Mahdi says. “They want it to end. I’m from the south myself, and I lost my home in October last year. I understand how they feel. But since 2009, things have only got worse in Lebanon. We’ve learned to expect the worst,” she says.
In the vast courtyard, children play football. The shouts and laughter offer a brief and welcome respite from the deafening sounds of the bombs falling in the south of the country. The adults are scattered in small groups. Some smoke shisha, others wait for a doctor’s appointment or medicine to be distributed. Today, these services are provided by Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Meals are also being distributed since there is no kitchen for the families to cook themselves.
‘Didn’t know if we would make it back’
Mona, who is in her 50s, has lost 4 kilos since arriving at the shelter. It is hard to have an appetite when you have left everything you own behind. “I want to go back to my house,” she says. “I dream there will finally be real peace. Before the war, when we left the house we didn’t know if we would make it back in the evening.”
Despite agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in November 2024, the Israeli army has continued its air strikes on the Nabatieh region, in southern Lebanon.
“Everyone wants this war to end, and that people aren’t killed every day,” says Mona as her husband Nabil hugs their two grandsons, aged six and four.
The 57-year-old grandfather is ready to sacrifice everything for the children, Nabil and Ali. In 2024, the two boys narrowly escaped an air strike. The bomb hit just 20 metres away, leaving them deeply traumatised.
“I’ve spent a lot of money to help them recover but they only started doing better once we got here,” Nabil recounts.
“We were given a room, and since then, they feel safe. The room is small but it’s enough for us. They can rest, there’s space outside to play football and ride bicycles. A few days ago, there was a drawing activity organised. I haven’t seen them that happy in a year and five months.”
Those 17 months feel like an eternity, the grandfather endlessly repeats. He praises the generosity of Offre Joie, a charity founded in 1985, without which the “Slaughterhouse” – as the shelter is called – would not exist.
“The children are afraid of returning to the village – even though they have their own beds, toys and belongings in the house,” Nabil says.
“There, you can hear the gunfire and the deafening roar of fighter jets. I left everything for them, my house, my car repair shop. It’s very hard. But I’ll only go back once the war is over.”
* The person's name has been changed.
This article was adapted from the original in French by Louise Nordstrom.
More than 700,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Lebanon since the country was dragged back into war with Israel on March 2. FRANCE 24’s reporter met with displaced families who have found refuge in Beirut’s overwhelmed emergency shelters, and others who have no choice but to sleep out in the streets of the Lebanese capital.
Issued on: 11/03/2026
FRAHCE24
By: Assiya HAMZA
Six-year-old Nabil and 4-year-old Ali play with their grandfather in the courtyard at Lebanon’s biggest refugee reception centre in Lebanon. © Assiya Hamza, FRANCE 24
They sit beneath the statue in Martyrs’ Square – a symbol of Beirut and the sacrifices made by the Lebanese people. But the towering monument offers the Syrian families gathered there little protection from the scorching sun. With no space left in emergency shelters, it is the only refuge they have found after fleeing the Israeli air strikes pounding Beirut's southern suburbs. They live in utter destitution.
“Today it’s been nine days since we got here,” says Iman, a woman in her forties from the northern Syrian town of Raqqa. “Look, we’re still living on the ground, outside. We haven’t found a place in the schools, because the Lebanese are given priority.”
Iman fled Syria 12 years ago, when her house was destroyed in fierce fighting that broke out between Islamist rebels and government forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad. She and her husband then made a new home in Dahiyeh, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, with their five daughters. Now they have had to flee again. This time after the Israeli army issued an evacuation order before striking the Hezbollah bastion.
Since then, Iman’s neighbourhood has been subject to Israeli air strikes on a daily basis. Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has vowed that Dahiyeh shall meet the same fate as Khan Younis – the southern Gaza city that Israel's war on Hamas turned into an open-air cemetery.
They sit beneath the statue in Martyrs’ Square – a symbol of Beirut and the sacrifices made by the Lebanese people. But the towering monument offers the Syrian families gathered there little protection from the scorching sun. With no space left in emergency shelters, it is the only refuge they have found after fleeing the Israeli air strikes pounding Beirut's southern suburbs. They live in utter destitution.
“Today it’s been nine days since we got here,” says Iman, a woman in her forties from the northern Syrian town of Raqqa. “Look, we’re still living on the ground, outside. We haven’t found a place in the schools, because the Lebanese are given priority.”
Iman fled Syria 12 years ago, when her house was destroyed in fierce fighting that broke out between Islamist rebels and government forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad. She and her husband then made a new home in Dahiyeh, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, with their five daughters. Now they have had to flee again. This time after the Israeli army issued an evacuation order before striking the Hezbollah bastion.
Since then, Iman’s neighbourhood has been subject to Israeli air strikes on a daily basis. Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has vowed that Dahiyeh shall meet the same fate as Khan Younis – the southern Gaza city that Israel's war on Hamas turned into an open-air cemetery.
‘It’s death’
“The nights are very difficult,” Iman notes. “It’s cold and we’re worried for our daughters’ safety. There are people hanging around outside and we can’t sleep. Last time, it rained and we had to take cover in a building. It’s death, it’s death.”
Iman does not even have a tent. She has nothing to shield her and her family from the rain, and nowhere where they can wash or relieve themselves. Just like her children, she dreams only of returning to their home.
Since the start of the war, Iman’s family has relied entirely on help from others to survive. The situation has become all the more difficult because of the Muslim fasting month. “They bring us sandwiches and rice, but during Ramadan we need to eat healthy foods,” she says, adding that she has been suffering from stomach pains.
Her youngest children play under the relentless sun. They might look carefree, but they are not. “They keep telling me: ‘We want to go home. We want to go to school. We want our things.’ The youngest cries and repeats the names of her friends. It breaks my heart every time,” Iman says.
“The nights are very difficult,” Iman notes. “It’s cold and we’re worried for our daughters’ safety. There are people hanging around outside and we can’t sleep. Last time, it rained and we had to take cover in a building. It’s death, it’s death.”
Iman does not even have a tent. She has nothing to shield her and her family from the rain, and nowhere where they can wash or relieve themselves. Just like her children, she dreams only of returning to their home.
Since the start of the war, Iman’s family has relied entirely on help from others to survive. The situation has become all the more difficult because of the Muslim fasting month. “They bring us sandwiches and rice, but during Ramadan we need to eat healthy foods,” she says, adding that she has been suffering from stomach pains.
Her youngest children play under the relentless sun. They might look carefree, but they are not. “They keep telling me: ‘We want to go home. We want to go to school. We want our things.’ The youngest cries and repeats the names of her friends. It breaks my heart every time,” Iman says.
‘Going to get us out of here’
Ahmed* looks exhausted. He is also Syrian and lived in Dahiyeh until the war broke out. Now, he stays awake every night to keep watch over his wife and their 11 children. “See that blanket,” he says, pointing to a navy blue cover. “It’s for 12 people. We left with nothing”.
Despite the hardship, Ahmed has not lost hope. “They came and got our names yesterday. Every day, they come and tell us they’re going to get us out of here,” he says, referring to an NGO that helps them.
Not long ago, Martyrs’ Square was packed with people. Whole families camped out here because there were no space left in emergency shelters. Lebanon’s Social Affairs Minister Hanine el-Sayyed says more than 500 emergency accommodation units have been opened since the start of the war. But they are still far too few given the scale of the humanitarian crisis unfolding.
The United Nations says more than 700,000 people have been forcibly displaced since Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, prompting Israel to respond immediately and with overwhelming force.
The ‘Slaughterhouse’
Not far from Beirut’s port, in the impoverished Karantina neighbourhood, a former slaughterhouse has become the country’s largest shelter for the displaced.
It is something of a no man’s land, and its hangars were erected by the NGO Offre Joie in record time in 2024 – during the last war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“It was in complete ruins. The site hadn’t been used in 20 years,” Cynthia Mahdi, a volunteer in her 20s, explains. “We cleared away all the rubble and rebuilt everything. We created four blocks: A, B, C and D, and inside each block, we set up rooms. We also installed toilets and showers outside. We tried to do everything from start to finish: we opened a pharmacy, and doctors started coming here as well as a psychologist for the children because all these people are frustrated, traumatised and need someone to talk to.”
One year later, displaced families are back in the shelter, which is doing everything it can to provide dignified accommodation. More than 1,100 people currently live here, while others are impatiently waiting for the last block to be finalised – hopefully within the next few days.
“The Lebanese are used to war, of course, but they’re frustrated, and angry,” Mahdi says. “They want it to end. I’m from the south myself, and I lost my home in October last year. I understand how they feel. But since 2009, things have only got worse in Lebanon. We’ve learned to expect the worst,” she says.
In the vast courtyard, children play football. The shouts and laughter offer a brief and welcome respite from the deafening sounds of the bombs falling in the south of the country. The adults are scattered in small groups. Some smoke shisha, others wait for a doctor’s appointment or medicine to be distributed. Today, these services are provided by Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Meals are also being distributed since there is no kitchen for the families to cook themselves.
‘Didn’t know if we would make it back’
Mona, who is in her 50s, has lost 4 kilos since arriving at the shelter. It is hard to have an appetite when you have left everything you own behind. “I want to go back to my house,” she says. “I dream there will finally be real peace. Before the war, when we left the house we didn’t know if we would make it back in the evening.”
Despite agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in November 2024, the Israeli army has continued its air strikes on the Nabatieh region, in southern Lebanon.
“Everyone wants this war to end, and that people aren’t killed every day,” says Mona as her husband Nabil hugs their two grandsons, aged six and four.
The 57-year-old grandfather is ready to sacrifice everything for the children, Nabil and Ali. In 2024, the two boys narrowly escaped an air strike. The bomb hit just 20 metres away, leaving them deeply traumatised.
“I’ve spent a lot of money to help them recover but they only started doing better once we got here,” Nabil recounts.
“We were given a room, and since then, they feel safe. The room is small but it’s enough for us. They can rest, there’s space outside to play football and ride bicycles. A few days ago, there was a drawing activity organised. I haven’t seen them that happy in a year and five months.”
Those 17 months feel like an eternity, the grandfather endlessly repeats. He praises the generosity of Offre Joie, a charity founded in 1985, without which the “Slaughterhouse” – as the shelter is called – would not exist.
“The children are afraid of returning to the village – even though they have their own beds, toys and belongings in the house,” Nabil says.
“There, you can hear the gunfire and the deafening roar of fighter jets. I left everything for them, my house, my car repair shop. It’s very hard. But I’ll only go back once the war is over.”
* The person's name has been changed.
This article was adapted from the original in French by Louise Nordstrom.
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