suffering of civilians refugees persons exacerbated by ongoing war in Lebanon

In light of the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon is facing a wave of displacement that is increasing every day with the increase in Israeli threats and warnings to evacuate homes and villages, as according to the latest official figures, about 1.4 million people have left their homes due to the bombing.

This crisis has exacerbated the humanitarian situation in the country, which is already affected by economic and social pressures, making it difficult for the government to provide the necessary support to the displaced.

Shelters in Lebanon appear crowded and suffer from a lack of basic facilities, as they are basically schools or public buildings that have been converted to accommodate the displaced. Conditions inside these centers are difficult, as they lack privacy and comfort, and health and food services are often limited. The displaced also suffer from difficulty in accessing clean water and electricity, which increases their suffering and their ability to withstand.

The suffering of the displaced will extend for years after the war

It is difficult for the displaced whose homes were destroyed and who were displaced from their lands to rebuild their lives as they were before. In this context, the banking risk expert, Dr. Muhammad Fahili, believes during an interview with ANHA's agency that the suffering of the displaced will worsen with the absence of alternative plans to return them to their normal lives, especially since the Lebanese authorities did not take serious decisions to avoid the war that Hezbollah decided to wage on October 8, 2023, the day after the Gaza war. Therefore, the government waited for the last Israeli attack, which began on September 23, to mobilize and begin developing plans to house the displaced in schools and official centers.

Fahili adds that the shelters in Lebanon often lack basic living requirements. Although they provide shelter for the displaced, they suffer from several problems such as overcrowding and lack of basic services such as water, food, electricity and health care, which affects the quality of life.

Fahili believes that the situation of the displaced will continue for two years or more after the fighting stops, as there are major challenges facing the state in terms of removing the rubble resulting from the bombing and rebuilding the villages and houses that were completely blown up and destroyed, noting the state’s inability and lack of funding for reconstruction, which requires huge sums

Lebanon's economy after the war is heading towards a sharp contraction

All indicators show that the living situation is heading towards deterioration, and according to Fahili, the state's ability to restore recovery is almost non-existent. In 2018, the size of the Lebanese economy was 55 billion dollars, while today it fluctuates between 13 and 15 billion dollars, and Lebanon is heading towards a sharp contraction due to the ongoing war and the absence of reform solutions.

Fahili adds that international aid so far has been timid, although it has saved some sectors, especially the medical and hospital sector, which was severely affected as a result of the Israeli attacks that led to thousands of wounded and killed.

Fahili believes that the crisis will worsen after the war as a result of the massive destruction that cannot be determined or evaluated, and so far the state has not thought of solutions or alternatives for the displaced and their future.

Fahili describes the next stage as ambiguous, and there is no clarity in terms of the cost of destruction or even the cost of reconstruction as a result of the continuation of the war of attrition, and the greatest fear remains in the occurrence of a societal explosion among the segments of society that are divided between those who reject the war and those who support it.

Psychological scars and societal challenges for the displaced

In addition to the destruction and devastation, the war leaves deep psychological effects on individuals and societies, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, individuals' feelings of despair and loss of hope, which affects their daily lives, in addition to the state of anxiety about the future, and the ability of individuals to adapt.

The head of the Initiatives and Decisions Association, Dr. Dal Hitti, points out in this context through our agency that the Lebanese people are living in a difficult psychological state as a result of the ongoing war, but they have the ability to adapt, and this is evident in Lebanon's previous experiences with wars, especially among the elderly who suffered from crises and separation from their land and homeland.

He adds that the current war has not only destroyed the stone, but has also killed thousands of lives and distorted the memories of the Lebanese and their beautiful moments in their traditional towns and villages, as the Lebanese have lost safety and security, and will carry painful memories of the war that will not leave their memory.

Regarding social ties, Hatti believes that the world, with the development of technology, has begun to suffer from family and societal disintegration. How can we talk about disintegration in light of the ongoing war, as displaced people feel the loss of their loved ones and homes, in addition to losing their comfort zone, which is the environment in which the individual feels comfortable and safe.

Hatti adds that the elderly may adapt to the reality of war and displacement, while younger age groups will face problems in adapting and coexisting with a new environment and new cultures, especially in host communities, where they will face different challenges and unfamiliar experiences that may cause them anxiety and cases of lack of adaptation.

Hatti stresses the need to be nationally aware and work on the principle of coexistence, especially since there are common concerns between the displaced and the host environments, regardless of their religious and cultural differences, to avoid falling into divisions that may create civil strife.

The suffering of the displaced in Lebanon is evident as one of the most prominent effects of the ongoing war, as the humanitarian and psychological crises will leave a profound impact on the lives of individuals and communities.

Therefore, the absence of clear plans for reconstruction and providing the necessary support will further exacerbate the situation, requiring serious international intervention to provide urgent assistance. The most important thing at this stage is to strengthen national unity as an urgent necessity to avoid sectarian or partisan divisions and not repeat the wars of the past that brought nothing but devastation and destruction.

T/ Satt.

ANHA