BEIRUT, (PIC)
In the refugee camps of northern Lebanon, Palestinian refugees have opened their homes to their Lebanese brothers who have fled from their residences in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as from the southern suburb of the capital Beirut, escaping the bombardment by Israeli forces. This is a profound embodiment of the brotherhood between Palestinians and Lebanese.
Their motto is “We are brothers, we have no one but each other.” Despite the harsh living conditions and financial difficulties, Palestinians in the camps of northern Lebanon have not hesitated to open their homes and embrace their Lebanese brothers who have been displaced due to Israeli aggression.
Our hearts before our homes
Refugee Mohammad Abdullah, who lives in the Nahr Al-Bared camp in northern Lebanon, tells the Palestinian Information Center that Lebanon, “which has embraced us since the Nakba and supports Palestine in every stage of struggle, deserves a strong stand from us in light of what its people are facing from Israeli aggression.” He continues that Lebanon, which has supported Gaza during its ongoing extermination, “deserves all the good from us, and our homes are open to our Lebanese brothers.”
Initiatives for relief
In the Beddawi camp, an initiative was launched to assist the displaced, relying on collecting in-kind donations such as blankets, mattresses, pillows, and clothing, in addition to financial contributions.
“We will not abandon those who shed blood and gave homes and children in support of Palestine and Gaza,” is the slogan carried by vehicles in the camp, calling on residents to lend a helping hand to the displaced Lebanese.
This initiative has received a significant response in the camp, despite the suffocating living and economic crisis that Lebanon has been experiencing for years. Refugee Um Iyad, 66, says she has nothing to offer her Lebanese brothers due to her extreme poverty. She continues in a conversation with our reporter, “I had some clothes that I gave to the displaced Lebanese children; they are our family, and they supported us and Gaza, which has been suffering for a year now.”
In this context, the emergency and rescue units of the Red Crescent Society are making significant efforts to provide healthcare for the displaced and offer medical services in the shelters and surrounding areas of the Palestinian camps in Lebanon.
In this context, the Emergency and Rescue Unit in the Beddawi camp has announced its complete readiness to provide nursing and emergency care for the displaced in all areas of the Beddawi camp and its suburbs.
The “Palestinian Arab Cultural Club” in the Beddawi camp has also issued an urgent call since the first day of displacement, urging the residents of the camp and neighboring areas to assist the affected displaced individuals. It has called on anyone who can accommodate displaced persons in their home, rent houses, or provide any form of support to contact the responsible authorities to coordinate efforts.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has announced the opening of new centers to shelter the displaced in Lebanon. This is part of the emergency response plan launched by UNRWA on September 24, amid the escalation of Israeli aggression against Lebanon and its expansion to include areas in the southern suburbs of Beirut, resulting in the displacement of thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians.
According to the updated list, new shelter centers have been opened in various regions of Lebanon, including schools and training centers in Sidon, Beirut, Baalbek, and the Nahr al-Bared camp in the north.
State of emergency
In the Burj al-Barajneh camp, near the capital Beirut, the popular committee member Issa al-Ghadban confirmed that the camp is in a complete state of emergency and ready to receive the displaced.
He added in a press statement that the residents of the camp will not allow anyone to sleep in the streets, emphasizing the need to provide complete necessities such as bedding, food, and hygiene products.
He continued, “We have taken proactive measures in case the camp is bombed, including forming an emergency committee and enhancing the readiness of Haifa Hospital and a group of ambulances distributed throughout the camp.” He mentioned the preparation of a field hospital at the camp entrance and stressed the importance of solidarity among the camp’s residents to ensure the best possible services for the displaced.
He also highlighted the necessity of providing psychological and moral support to the refugees to help them withstand the aggression.
High praise
Mohammad al-Jaber, one of the Lebanese refugees who fled from the southern suburb under heavy bombardment to the Nahr al-Bared camp in the north, spoke about the hardships he experienced during the displacement.
He underlined that he had to flee with his family to one of the schools in the Nahr al-Bared camp after the situation in the southern suburb became catastrophic due to ongoing Israeli bombings, fearing for his children’s safety.
He praised the warm welcome he received from the camp’s residents, confirming that they “opened their homes and hearts” to them, exemplifying the brotherly spirit among the refugees.
Al-Jaber added, “Our lives are not more valuable than the blood of our people in Gaza and the West Bank,” directing a salute to the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance that continues to stand firm against the aggression.
