Israel-Hamas war: Lebanon families move into schools to take shelter from Israeli strikes

Several families in southern Lebanon are moving to schools to take shelter from Israeli strikes as tensions of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war have spread to the Lebanese-Israeli border. According to a report by the news agency AFP on Saturday (Oct 21), nearly 4,000 people have fled flashpoint areas near the Israeli frontier and flocked to the southern city of Tyre.

Around half of these people are staying in three public schools that have been converted into makeshift shelters.Mustafa al-Sayyid, who lives barely six kilometres from the border, whisked his family to the closest shelter when Israeli strikes began.

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"If I wasn't afraid this would happen to us, I wouldn't have left my home," said Sayyid, who has two wives and 11 children, around half of whom are under 10. Sitting inside a classroom, Sayyid that in case of a war, it would be difficult to get his children out in one go as all of them are young.

"So I thought, better to leave now," he told AFP.

School shelters reach full capacity

On Saturday, Tyre Mayor Hassan Dbouk said that the three school shelters in the city have reached their full capacity, adding authorities are looking for a place to open a fourth one.

In the border village of Dhayra, farms and olive groves have been abandoned at the height of the harvest season, the report said. Lebanon is facing an economic crisis and the ongoing war (Israel vs Hamas) adds up to the problems.

"Everyone in Dhayra relies on farming. We have nothing but God and agriculture," said Mussa Suwaid, 47, speaking outside a shelter where he has been staying for a week.

Authorities in Lebanon have not implemented an evacuation plan amid the intensifying Israel-Hamas war, and people are evacuating by strapping bags to motorcycles or hitching rides with neighbours.

23 killed so far in Lebanon

Since Hamas launched an attack against Israel on October 7, exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border have killed at least four people in Israel -- three soldiers and one civilian. In southern Lebanon, at least 23 people have been killed.

On Saturday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant visited the northern border. Urging the troops to remain vigilant, Defence Minister Gallant said, "Hezbollah has decided to participate in the fighting, and is paying a price for it. We must be vigilant and prepare for every possible (scenario). Great challenges await us."

(With inputs from agencies)

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