The situation in Lebanon is rapidly deteriorating, with hundreds of civilian causalities, immense loss of life and mass displacement. An estimated 1 million people have been forced to flee their homes in Beirut, and in the southern and eastern regions affected by the conflict, now living in fear, anxiety and insecurity. Schools, mosques, churches and parks have been repurposed into makeshift shelters to accommodate the flow of displaced families desperately seeking safety.
Local hospitals – already on the brink of collapse after years of economic turmoil – are fully packed and struggling to cope with the sudden influx of patients. The St. Antoine Community Health Center in Beirut – also known as the Dispensary – has become the primary healthcare facility for internally displaced persons in need of daily assistance in neighborhoods like Roueissat, which were unprepared to respond to the growing demand for emergency medical care. Supported by GSIF, the center provides treatment for those injured in the recent violence, first aid services and urgent medical care that overburdened hospitals can no longer handle.
Beyond medical care, the facility helps families to deal with the trauma of relocation and violence by fostering communal resilience. The Good Shepherd sisters, together with the healthcare staff of the Dispensary, are also visiting and supporting displaced families who have taken refuge in two schools of the Roueissat area that have been turned into temporary shelters.
Among them is Jad, who fled his home in the southern suburbs of Beirut with his wife and his 3 children just 4 days ago. “That night was like a horror movie: warplanes, airstrikes—you name it. While we were in the car, we could feel the ground shaking,” Jad recalls. After spending 2 nights in another neighborhood of Beirut, the family was forced to leave again. “All I care about is the kids. The youngest is just a year-and-a-half old. How can I protect my family when nowhere feels safe?” asks Jad, in despair. They left with only a few clothes and their documents. “We couldn’t even bring a mattress or a pillow. Last night, we slept on chairs. No one is helping us.” Jad and his family are now taking refuge in one of the schools surrounding the center, where they receive medicine and healthcare services.
In recent days, hospitals across the country have been instructed to halt non-essential healthcare services, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Despite the dangerous conditions, the Good Shepherd Sisters and the local staff remain in position, committed to helping to maintain the community’s health and well-being through these tumultuous times. Swift and coordinated action is needed now more than ever. As the violence continues to escalate, the number of displaced people is expected to rise sharply in the coming days, and the already critical situation threatens to become even more dire.
GSIF and its partners-in-mission stand in solidarity with the Lebanese people. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, the families and all those affected by the violence.
