Israel's brutal assault on Lebanon has seen thousands of panic-stricken families, in particular from the southern and Bekaa regions flee their homes in search of safety.
These families have no fixed destination for the most part – their overriding aim being to save their loved ones and themselves from Israel's indiscriminate bombardment, which has killed more than 700 people.
As the exodus unrolled across the south, with tens of thousands of Lebanese setting off at once, huge traffic jams clogged the two highways between the southern cities of Tyre, Nabatieh, and Sidon, where thousands have fled.
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese were stuck in their cars for over 14 hours, prompting the first signs of a surge in solidarity across Lebanon, as social media users started sharing information to help those fleeing, such as circulating alternative routes cars could take, to ease the congestion.
With queues of traffic at a standstill, residents of towns and villages on the coast started distributing water and some brought meals for those stuck in their cars.
Numbers for local mechanics were handed out in case anyone's car broke down on the road.
Communities start organising
This was just the start of an upswell in solidarity from ordinary people across the country, initiated by activists using social media and volunteers.
Initiatives are being rolled out in Beirut, areas of Mount Lebanon (like Chouf, Aley and Sofar), the northern cities Tripoli and Akkar, and elsewhere, where efforts are underway to direct the displaced to homes that will host them for free or in exchange for a small charge.
To this end, lists have been drawn up by activists containing the names and phone numbers of Lebanese citizens offering free accommodation and these have circulated on social media channels.
Ali Al-Atrash, who is from Younin village in the Bekaa Valley, has made several homes owned by him and his family available to receive the displaced.
He told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, °®Âþµº's Arabic-language sister edition: "It's my duty as a Lebanese citizen to open my home and that of my family to anyone in need of help and shelter. This is the least I can do for the displaced."
He continued: "I have received more than 200 calls from displaced people, and we have been able to house 60 families so far, and we are helping people in the Bekaa to secure many homes in the Saadnayel area and other villages."
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Mutual aid efforts spanning different regions have seen "crisis cells" formed, with information points set up in some places to direct families to schools that have been turned into temporary shelters, as well as securing basic needs like mattresses and blankets.
In the Ras el-Nabaa neighbourhood in Beirut, young people organised themselves and set about guiding incomers where to go to avoid confusion.
'I can't just stand by and watch'
In Sidon, locals hurried to assist the displaced, and the warm hospitality shown by ordinary people wasn't limited to opening their homes and schools.
Sidon resident Hassan Mustafa, who owns a restaurant in the city, opened it up as a refuge for the displaced, explaining: "My country is being destroyed and I can't just stand by and watch. This is the least I can do at this moment."
In Chouf, a district of Mount Lebanon province, a local group has set up a database to list local homes "prepared to welcome the displaced so they can be taken there," explained one activist working on the initiative, Bayan Al-Ali.
"What we are doing is serving our people — our aim is community solidarity. We've started preparing donations for the needs of the displaced, like food and sleeping supplies, to be distributed to the schools that have begun receiving the displaced in the Chouf. Many initiatives will be set up and organised through civil society activities in the Chouf," he said.
In Baabda district, close to Beirut, a campaign called "One Roof" kicked off to provide free or almost-free housing for the displaced.
Planning ahead
Abeer Adnan, one of the campaign's organisers says around a month ago they began "looking for apartments in the Baabda and Hazmieh areas and talking to their owners to try to convince them to rent the homes at reasonable prices."
They collected a list of numbers and have been "able to provide several families with free housing."
She says "such a large-scale attack" by Israel on such a widespread area was not expected, adding that it has been overwhelming for the group which has faced difficulties securing basic needs for the displaced.
However, undeterred, Adnan is also working to secure further homes in her hometown Rachaya el-Wadi in the Bekaa Valley.
In the Zaroun village, in Mount Lebanon governorate, Rafiq Daou is working with a group of local volunteers as well as others from Dhour El Choueir, Mtein, and other nearby villages, on an initiative they have called "To the People".
They have been able to arrange housing for displaced citizens from Nabatieh and the surrounding villages, who have been welcomed into the homes of local families in the town.
"We opened the social club in the town and received about 60 families," Daou said, adding, "We also provided sleeping materials, and the local people and women provided breakfast to distribute to the displaced."
He said they were also working on collecting donations of food and hygiene supplies to give to the displaced.
To prevent the displaced from being exploited by the owners of apartments offered for rent, Daou and his volunteers are making efforts to coordinate with landlords to try and mediate to stop those who have fled their homes from being exploited and forced to pay out huge sums of money.
"We are all people of one country in the face of the Israeli attacks, so we must stay united and show solidarity," he concluded.
This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition. To read the original article click
Translated by Rose Chacko
This article is taken from our Arabic sister publication, Al-Araby Al Jadeed and mirrors the source's original editorial guidelines and reporting policies. Any requests for correction or comment will be forwarded to the original authors and editors
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