War in Lebanon: Updates
- Evangeline
- Oct 15, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 10
Check in here for regular, short, updates on the war in Lebanon and how we're doing. Newest updates will be posted at the top.
For a map of where I am in relation to most airstrikes in Beirut, see my previous post:
November 28, 2024
Yesterday a 60-day ceasefire agreement signed by the IDF and Hezbollah came into effect. Airstrikes in Beirut have stopped, however there are intermittent strikes within southern regions close to the border.
October 28, 2024
Situation Updates:
Airstrikes continue to pound the border areas, the suburbs of Beirut, and the Bekaa valley on a daily basis.
Last weekend was especially brutal for the historical southern city of Tyre. We have frequently visited a refugee school and church there. The IDF bombed a large and densely populated part of the city (see photo below). Thankfully most of the people we know evacuated safely ahead of time, but many of their homes were destroyed or are now unsafe to live in. Please pray for them.
Photo Source: BBC
Two weeks ago a building in the northern village of Aitou was struck by IDF airstrikes, killing 24 people, including women and children. The strike is significant as this region is predominantly Christian and has little to no Hezbollah presence, therefore was considered ‘safe’. However, a Shiite group from the south with possible Hezbollah ties fled to the village and was given refuge. The airstrike targeted the Shiite individuals yet also killed multiple unrelated families in the building.
Events like these are making ‘safe’ communities resistant to accept fleeing families. We fear that this could fuel tensions between religious and political groups and lead to unintended civil conflicts. Please pray for peace, mercy, unity, and wisdom.
Response Updates:
ABTS continues to host numerous families. Resources to feed the families are being used up quickly, and ABTS is in urgent need of more donors.
MERATH has been approved for new grants from CBM and Canadian Food Grains Bank (CFGB) to continue our emergency relief efforts. Praise God!
Each week I am volunteering with community kitchens cooking food for the displaced. One of them is FoodBlessed. Al Jazeera filmed a short (5 min) video spotlighting their work.
Khalil continues to coordinate distributions with Compassion Protestant Society (CPS) alongside local church youth. Here is a summary video put together by Pierre, Khalil’s brother.
Photo: Khalil connected with this little boy (9 years old) and his mother at a church-run shelter in Zahle. They had to flee their home in Tyre carrying only the clothes on their backs. With the help of a donor Khalil was able to give the mother money to buy clothes for her son. This is the sweater he picked out for himself!
There is one week left to have your donations to Lebanon matched by the Canadian government! Find out more.
October 14, 2024
Photo source: THIMAR
Situation Updates:
Thursday night IDF drones hit two apartment buildings in central Beirut. Strikes outside south Beirut are rare, therefore concerning, as northern areas have been considered 'safe' for displaced people.
Fighting has intensified close to the border and the major city of Nabatiyeh. As of last week, IDF ground forces are regularly entering Lebanese territory and clashing with Hezbollah armed groups.
On Friday IDF forces attacked and injured UN personnel part of UNIFIL (a UN peacekeeping force posted at the border since Israel first invaded Lebanon in 1978). Al Jazeera posted an article explaining why this is a big deal.
Response Updates:
MERATH is working hard to find mattresses and pillows for shelters despite shortages. Here's a great summary video of the response so far.
THIMAR staff have started providing full mornings of daily programming for children staying at ABTS.
If you haven’t already heard, the Canadian government is now matching donations to Lebanon through organizations like CBM via the Canadian Grains Foodbank. Every donation made before November 3rd will be matched! Find out more.
Prayer Request:
MERATH supports a preschool in a Bekaa valley refugee tent settlement, called "Little Friendly Space". It holds a special place in our hearts. Just a month ago our team threw a big graduation party for the 60 little tykes who attend (photos below).
Today we learned that the pre-school, and the attached home of the woman who runs the centre, was destroyed by a nearby airstrike. Here are before and after photos:
We thank God that no one was in the building at the time, but we are devasted by photos of the destruction. Please pray for the children and their families, as well as the teachers who are now without homes.
