When Israeli missiles destroyed entire homes in my neighborhood in southern Lebanon's city of Tyre, we decided it was time to save our lives again. More than 227,549 people had crossed the three official border points from Lebanon into Syria, according to the latest numbers from the United Nation's International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Lebanese authorities contacted Unesco officials to express their 'deepest concerns' over reports indicating the 'destruction and complete demolition of the Citadel of Chama' by military bulldozing operations.'
A number of politicians and protesters were opposed to setting up the centre, citing a number of reasons, including increased traffic to the area near Beirut's port and health concerns. But there were also sectarian motivations with some of Karantina's Christian population leading objections to housing the displaced, who are predominantly Shia Muslims, citing demographic concerns and using sectarian slogans reminiscent of language used during the 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War.
According to Lebanese health authorities, simultaneous Israeli strikes killed 303 people and injured 1,150 on Wednesday. Doctors Without Borders confirmed a mass influx of injured patients, including children, at Rafik Hariri Public Hospital in Beirut.