Maronite Bishop in Lebanon says people praying for peace, offering help

By Marco Guerra

Tensions between the Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel forces are not easing as people have been hoping. The latest violence reported by local media included an Israeli drone that attacked a vehicle in the southern Lebanese town of Shaqram. The Israeli Air Force also struck a Hezbollah weapons depot in the Ayta ash Shab area, also in the south of the country, as well as what they termed “terrorist infrastructure sites in the Houla and Ayta ash Shab areas.”

Two days of drone launches

Drone launches against Israel have also occurred in recent days. On Sunday 22 July they hit the Hanita and Ya'ara areas, causing several fires. The Israeli army carried out a wave of attacks in southern Lebanon in response to the incident.

100,000 displaced in southern Lebanon

The terrorist attack carried out on 7 October by Hamas fighters against Israel has led to an escalation of clashes with Hezbollah fighters as well. In recent months, there have been attacks every day in Lebanon's Marjayoun district. According to some NGOs, to date 435 have been killed, including at least 97 civilians, while 96,829 have been displaced.

The Italy-based AVSI Foundation reports that around 60 schools are operating only remotely. The Italian civil society organization focuses especially on education aiming to have short- and long-term impacts that can generate positive change where each person can be a protagonist of integral human development, even in crisis and emergency situations.

Lebanon's Ministry of Education is preparing to start distance education for the next school year as well, as many parents have had to flee their homes, others have lost their jobs and are struggling to feed and support their families.

Bishop Khairallah underscores commitment to peace

In an interview in Italian with Vatican Radio-Vatican News, Maronite Bishop Munir Khairallah of the Lebanese diocese of Batroun, explained that “as long as there is no ceasefire in Gaza the violence will also continue in southern Lebanon between Hezbollah and the Israelis, the southern Lebanese are suffering the consequences of this war, they do not want a conflict with Israel.” He also described the situation with displaced people arriving from the south of the country that “they are generally hosted by family and friends, but the Church is also doing its part by offering a roof to those in need, these persons are in addition to the more than one and a half million Syrian refugees still in Lebanon.”

Bishop Khairallah also describes the pastoral efforts of the Lebanese Church, saying there is “a return to the Church and to the faith." Last Sunday 21 July was the Feast of St. Charbel and “thousands of faithful came to pray at the shrine” dedicated to him “bringing great hope.” He concludes, there is a “growing commitment” by young people in the Church.