A little safety and a lot of anxiety: testimonies of the displaced from Beirut’s southern suburbs
The Azarieh shelter, once a bustling commercial center in the heart of Beirut, has been transformed into a refuge for people displaced by the ongoing Israeli bombardment in Lebanon. This makeshift shelter, now housing more than 2,500 people. Conditions here are dire, as the facility was never intended for long-term living, leaving families struggling without adequate resources, and basic needs.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) deploys a mobile medical unit there, providing essential primary healthcare and psychological support, especially for children affected. We have also distributed vital non-food items such as hygiene products, mattresses, and blankets to help improve living conditions for these vulnerable families.
In that building and its surroundings, we met families forced to flee the southern suburbs of Beirut as the Israeli bombardment of populated areas intensified, seeking safety.
“I don’t want to leave…”
Imad Hachem, 55, lived with his wife, sister, son, and cousin in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon. In the aftermath of the September 27 strike, the family decided to leave the southern suburbs of Beirut, taking with them all they could carry. Although it took the family a few days to find mattresses and blankets, Imad explains that they are now managing to survive in the Azarieh shelter thanks to the regular distribution of food. The father of the family is worried, however, about the living conditions in the shelter, especially with the arrival of winter, rain and cold. He is also concerned about the health of his cousin, who has cancer and has been missing treatment for 2 days. He explains: “We used to receive this expensive treatment from the Ministry of Health, but now we are not sure how to access it”.
Imad hopes to be able to return there one day. “I don’t want to leave Lebanon, but I have a son and a wife to take care of. If the only way to regain stability is to leave, then we’ll leave. But where and how, I have no idea”.
Children growing up too soon
Originally from Baalbek, 39-year-old Ezdihar Al Diqar used to live with her husband, daughter and son in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon. It was on the evening of September 28, around 10:30 pm, while the family was having dinner, that they received the alert of an imminent strike in the neighborhood, and they decided to flee.
Ezdihar took her two children and left the southern suburbs for the center of the capital with 14 of her neighbours. The group spent their first night on the streets before moving to the Azarieh shelter. After two weeks in Azarieh, Ezdihar explains that she doesn’t feel safe in the shelter, and she no longer knows where to go to be safe from the bombings, especially after an Israeli strike in the center of Beirut.
Ezdihar is determined to face these challenges with her head held high, hoping that things will get back to normal. But as a mother, she sees the consequences of war on her children. “My daughter is only 14, but with all the difficulties we’ve had to overcome – she often responds to situations, namely airstrikes, with a maturity that surpasses her years. She’s had to grow up quickly.”
Displacement after refuge
Originally from Syria, Abbas, 28, came to Lebanon seeking safety with his wife and parents. The young man lost his job when the war broke out. The family used to live in the southern suburbs of Beirut and decided to leave the area to escape the bombings. After spending several nights on the streets, they moved into the Azarieh shelter, where they have been sharing a room. Abbas says he is very worried about the health of his 8-month-old son, Amir. “Amir has a fever, and he’s been sick a lot since we’ve been here. We’re running out of milk and diapers. He also cries more and more often, I think he’s aware of this change of environment and the insecurity in which we live, especially because of the noise of the bombings.”
Abbas explains that he left Syria with the hope of a better life, but now he feels trapped. His house was destroyed in Syria, where the economic situation would not allow him to find work, and it seems impossible for him to return to his homeland.
“Even if the war ends, what will be left of our home?”
Zeinab Ouzir, 29, left the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, with her husband and their children, the day after the Israeli strike on September 27. At first, the family headed north, but were told to leave the area. So, not feeling welcomed they decided to go back to Beirut. They settled in the Azarieh shelter for displaced persons, where the couple lives in a 10-square-meter room with their 4 children.
Zeinab describes the overwhelming sense of uncertainty that has gripped her since she had to leave her loved ones and home behind: “I can’t imagine the future here anymore. Even if the war ends, what will be left of our home? Will my family and friends survive?” Although she lived through the 2006 war, she describes the current situation as much more worrying. She is also worried about the impact of the war on her children. The war put a strain on the psychological health of every one of them. Zeinab describes the nights filled with nightmares and constantly waking up at the slightest noise. When an Israeli bomb hit a building two kilometers from the shelter the day before, her children asked her to move to a safer place. She would also like to leave. With her husband, they are thinking of leaving Lebanon, no matter what the destination, as long as their children are safe and they can look forward to a peaceful future.
More than one million people have been displaced in Lebanon, many of whom are in urgent need of assistance. MSF has deployed 14 mobile medical teams across Lebanon to provide care to displaced communities in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Sidon, Tripoli, Bekaa and Akkar. Our teams are present in shelters, primary health care centres and public places, providing medical consultations, medicines, psychological first aid and psychosocial support. We are also distributing blankets, mattresses and hygiene kits, and supplying water to various centres.