Displaced Lebanese Father: 'Prisoners in a Room'

Rabih Khreiss, a 45-year-old mechanic and father of nine, recounts his family's struggle after fleeing their southern Lebanese home on March 2, 2026. They now live in a tent in Beirut, reliant on donations, with his sister, who has lung cancer, finding it difficult to access healthcare. The family's previous home in Khiyam has been heavily damaged, similar to the last war in 2024 when one of his sons lost an eye.

Khreiss expresses deep despair, likening their situation to a life sentence with no known end. The ongoing conflict, marked by continued strikes and ground occupation, has displaced 1.2 million people. Many, like Khreiss, had hoped for a swift return home but remain indefinitely barred from their hometowns, which are now largely destroyed. The cycle of conflict deepens their sense of hopelessness.