A Jesuit in Lebanon has spoken of the desperate situation in the country, as the conflict in the Middle East rages on.
Fr Dan Corrou SJ, regional director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in the Middle East and North Africa, said regular missile attacks mean the local population are constantly on edge.
“People are living in cars, in every open space they can find,” he said. “People are tired – that’s certainly true of the Lebanese, who are seeing their country fall apart.”
Fr Dan recalled the start of the escalation, which began with the ‘pager incident’ of 17-18 September, when thousands of personal devices owned by Hezbollah exploded in an attack coordinated by Israel.
“You had 1.2 million people moving about to get out the way of attacks”
He added: “We heard every ambulance you can imagine; the streets were packed with them. We saw masses of people lining the roads – under bridges, in abandoned buildings, in the church.
“Those first few nights, it was absolute terror. You had 1.2 million people moving about to get out the way of attacks.”
As of 17 October, almost 2,500 people have been killed and more than 11,000 injured in Lebanon as a result of the Israel-Hezbollah war, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
There are almost 800,000 internally displaced people, more than 80% of shelters in the country are at full capacity, and around 450,000 people have fled to Syria, the bulk of these being Syrians living in Lebanon.
Fr Dan explained that, recently, there had been a missile attack around five hundred metres from the Jesuit Church of St Joseph in Beirut, where he is based, and another near the accommodation used by JRS staff.
“It brings home to us how close this [conflict] is,” he said.
He added that he has been moved by the generosity of those supporting the relief effort in Lebanon, and the work of local JRS staff, most of whom are Lebanese.
Those on the ground have been distributing food, water, blankets, mattresses, sanitary items and cleaning materials to those affected by the war.
They’ve also provided shelter and psychological support, as well as activities for children, who have seen their education temporarily halted.
Fr Dan said he “stands in solidarity with all victims of violence” in the Middle East, and pointed out the Jesuits have had a presence in the region since 1656, establishing a “deep connection” with local communities.
Jesuit Missions – as part of the Xavier Network – has been running an appeal in support of the victims of the conflict in Lebanon.
Click here for more information and to donate to the cause.
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