Thousands of Lebanese and foreigners have been forced to flee their homes after the Israeli army shot more missiles into the country, destroying houses and leaving dozens of people with varying degrees of injuries.
According to the United Nations (UN), 900 Lebanese refugee shelters were filled, leaving many citizens and foreigners homeless with many occupying public places and parks.
A U.N. refugee agency, Rula Amin, noted that the UN is collaborating with local authorities to secure additional sites where refugee camps could be setup for the people.
Meanwhile, some hotels and Beirut nightclubs have generously opened their doors to provide temporary refuge.
The head of, the International Organization for Migration in Lebanon, Mathieu Luciano who also confirmed this development on Friday, stated that some shelter camps in Beirut and Mount Lebanon are filled adding that some schools are occupied by refugees.
“Roads are jammed with traffic, people are sleeping in public parks, on the street, the beach, Many of the current shelters are schools, he said, meaning disruptions to education”.
He further expressed concern over Lebanon live-in domestic workers whom he said were being “abandoned” by their employers.
“They don’t have papers and as a result, they are reluctant to seek humanitarian assistance because they fear that they may be arrested and they may be deported. Many came from Egypt, Sudan, and Sri Lanka, and many could not speak local languages,” he said.
According to Lebanese authorities, over 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced and nearly 2,000 have been people killed since the resurgence of Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah group.
Lebanon refugee camps overcrowded amid Israel face-off
by Isioma chidera