War in Lebanon: Most people 'are severely traumatised', CARE country director says

Lead

Nearly a month after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was announced in Lebanon, the situation on the ground remains precarious, with widespread displacement, destroyed homes, and a population described as deeply traumatized. Michael Adams, Lebanon country director for the humanitarian organization CARE, told France 24 that "life for the Lebanese is a perpetual challenge that people have to overcome," adding that the ceasefire is "very fragile" and that constant infractions mean people "don't have confidence in it."

Coverage Comparison

Reporting from France 24 across multiple segments paints a consistent picture of a humanitarian crisis, though the emphasis varies. One report, featuring IFRC spokesman Tommaso Della Longa, highlights that despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued striking Lebanon and its troops are occupying a strip of the south, while Hezbollah has kept up attacks against Israeli troops in Lebanon and northern Israel. Another segment, with Iva Kovic-Chahine, head of L'Orient Today, focuses on the devastation as people begin to return home, noting that thousands of homes have been destroyed and over a million people displaced.

A third report concentrates on the psychological toll, with Adams detailing how many people are living in the streets, cars, parks, or stadiums, and how "so many of them are traumatised by the conflict."

Key Claims

• A fragile ceasefire: Multiple reports describe the ceasefire as fragile, with Adams noting that people lack confidence in it due to constant infractions.
• Widespread displacement: The figure of 1.2 million displaced people appears in one report, while another cites more than a million. This is consistent across sources.
• Continuing hostilities: One report states that Israel has continued striking Lebanon and has troops in the south, while Hezbollah has maintained attacks against Israeli forces.
• Destruction of homes: Thousands of homes have been destroyed, according to a report citing Iva Kovic-Chahine.
• Living conditions: Adams reported that many people are living in streets, cars, parks, or stadiums.
• Trauma: Adams described the population as traumatized by the conflict, a claim not yet independently verified but reflecting firsthand observation.

Perspectives

From the humanitarian perspective, CARE's Michael Adams emphasizes the ongoing suffering and lack of confidence in the peace process. The IFRC's Tommaso Della Longa underscores the continued hostilities and displacement. A journalistic perspective from L'Orient Today's Iva Kovic-Chahine adds a regional dimension, suggesting Lebanon has become "a card played by Tehran" in the peace process between Iran and the U.S., a claim that remains speculative and not widely corroborated.

The reports do not include statements from Israeli or Hezbollah officials, so their perspectives on the cited strikes and attacks are not presented. The accounts of ongoing violations are attributed to the cited sources and have not been independently verified by other outlets covered here.