BEIRUT, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Salem Hijazi, a 50-year-old man displaced from Lebanon's southern village of Aitaroun, sits with his family around a wood-burning heater in a temporary shelter in the southern city of Nabatieh, discussing ways of securing his family's urgent needs during the holy month of Ramadan.
Hijazi had not anticipated that the conflict in southern Lebanon would extend into the holy month. He had wished for a ceasefire that would allow him to return to his home and observe the traditions of Ramadan with joy and tranquility.
"We miss the festive mood of Ramadan, which we will not feel this year, unfortunately," he told Xinhua.
Hijazi is among thousands of residents in the border region of southern Lebanon who were forced to leave their houses and migrate to safer areas due to the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, which started a day after the outbreak of the Gaza conflict between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
"We cannot enjoy the festive atmosphere of Ramadan, and I can sadly say Ramadan has become a heavy burden since we cannot even secure our basic needs away from our jobs," Mariam al-Qadi, Hijazi's wife, told Xinhua.
Around 83,000 people were displaced from border areas in southern Lebanon, and half of them are women and children, according to official estimates.
Out of the displaced population, only around 3,000 individuals were housed in shelter centers located in the southern cities of Tyre, Nabatieh, and Hasbaya, while the remainder either rented accommodations or sought refuge with relatives.
Salima Abou Hamid, a lady in her 30s, closed her shop in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, and sought refuge in Tyre. She longs for the communal Ramadan experience with her neighbors in her hometown, where they come together to recite Quran verses and break their fasts together in the spiritual month.
"The war has ruined our festive mood during Ramadan, and we are no longer able to afford our basic food needs after we lost our businesses," she said.
The conflict on Lebanon's southern border is taking place at a time when the country is suffering from an unprecedented economic crisis that plunged 80 percent of its population into poverty.
The cash-strapped government has limited capacity to assist the tens of thousands of Lebanese displaced from border areas, leaving civil societies, associations and philanthropists to fill the gap.
Sheikh Hassan Dallah, the mufti of Hasbaya and Marjeyoun in Lebanon, told Xinhua he had reached out to local and international philanthropists to provide financial support to secure food for the families in need, which totaled 1,600 in southeast Lebanon.
Jamil Daher, head of the al-Aman Foundation, which means "Security" in Arabic, told Xinhua his foundation is providing 500 meals daily this year for displaced individuals from border areas.
Mortada Mhanna, head of the disaster unit at the Union of Tyre Municipalities, mentioned that he had contacted international agencies to ensure the provision of daily meals from a communal kitchen in Tyre to the displaced individuals residing in shelters in southeast Lebanon. ■