Lebanon: People feel “dehumanized” as country endures bombings

People are feeling “scared, angry and sad” after more than 100 bombs fell across Beirut in a single night shattering any remaining sense of safety for those who remain living in their homes, an aid worker has said.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a massive wave of strikes on Beirut on April 8, killing at least 254 people and injuring more than 2,000.

Following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire with Iran on April 7, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said there is “no ceasefire in Lebanon” and his country would continue “to strike Hezbollah with full force.”

Marielle Boutros, project coordinator for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) who lives and works in eastern Beirut, said people believed they were in the safety of their own homes when bombs exploded.

“Two days ago, more than 100 bombs fell over Beirut,” Boutros said in an interview with ACN-UK. “It was here and there, not just the south of the capital, it was around the whole city – you could hear the bombs from our office.

“Some areas were not previously targeted, so the people thought that they were safe but actually they were not.

“It was scary, it caused anger, it caused sadness, especially when you hear a ceasefire is happening elsewhere. It was really tragic.”

“We are not fine”

A fragile ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel set up in 2024 collapsed on February 28, after an US-Israeli attack on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Since then more than 1,800 people have been killed — including around 120 children — and a further 6,000 people injured, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Israeli troops have evacuated large swaths of southern villages as it attempts to seize control of the borders.

On March 31, the Lebanese Army withdrew from Rmeich and Ein Ebel, the two Christian villages in south Lebanon which will now be in Israel’s buffer zone.

Boutros said every day brings a mixture of relief and grief.

“You feel you are being dehumanized,” she said. “You go to call your relatives and you are relieved that they are okay, then you have 200 dead and nearly 2,000 injured.” She continued:

“You don’t feel safe. Some of the victims were in their houses, in a secure and comforting place, and they were bombed. You have to cope with your anxiety, fears and guilt that have developed over the last few years. For me, this is the worst thing – when you are relieved that it’s not your family but you have families on the ground dead. We have this pressure to continue our daily life because you cannot afford not to because of the economic crisis.”

“We are not fine,” Boutros admitted. “We are surviving, but in the heart of each one of us we want this nightmare to end in some way.”

ACN projects in Lebanon

Boutros said ACN has several projects in Lebanon, including support in the south of the country with food parcels and medical support. The pontifical charity can get fuel to displaced families living in church centers and also psychological support and trauma healing for children.

She said the charity’s school programs and support for churches was critical.

“Right now the schools in South Lebanon are not operating,” Boutros said. “Some of them are operating online and teachers need to be paid. This is a real emergency. We cannot afford to stop education again. Schools were closed in 2019 and during Covid and then an economic crisis.”

Boutros emphasized the importance of the school system in Lebanon as “a strength for Lebanese people. After their graduation they go out of the country to pursue their studies.”

For the Church, too, the school is “very important, as it’s where catechism takes place. It’s a place for missions, for preaching, for transferring Christian values and living those values. These are key elements for society here.”

Boutros appealed for prayers.

“If people can pray for us – It’s becoming impossible day after day, but you can feel that prayers are possible,” she said. “After all, our God is a God who was resurrected. He defeated death. We can rely on such a God.”

–Nathalie Raffray