In the southern suburbs of Beirut, families displaced by the war are struggling to find a sense of belonging and security. Fatima Kandeel, 43, and her two sons, Hassan and Hussein, moved into a new rented apartment in Laylake, Dahiyeh, after their previous home was destroyed by an Israeli air strike. Despite the challenges, Fatima is determined to stay in Dahiyeh, where she feels a strong sense of community and belonging.
“I love the people here,” Fatima said. “Everyone is kind. Dahiyeh is home.” However, her son Hussein is open to the idea of leaving Dahiyeh due to the practicalities of finding a safer and more affordable place to live. “If war comes again, what do you teach the next generation?” Fatima asked. “That it’s OK to give up your home? Or that you stand your ground?”
The family’s previous home in Hay el-Selom was destroyed by an Israeli air strike, and they had to salvage what they could from the rubble. Fatima’s sons managed to save two wardrobes and a bed, which they restored to the point where it would be hard to guess they had been in a bombing. Fatima’s nephew, a Hezbollah fighter, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Jnoub in October, and his portrait hangs in the living room alongside a photo of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
During the war, Hussein struggled emotionally, constantly stressed and getting into fights. He has seen two therapists but hasn’t felt much improvement. Fatima still carries a painful memory from the time they fled to Jnah during the war. A grocery store owner made a snide remark about “trashy Shia people,” leaving a scar that Fatima refuses to forget.
Fatima’s sister, Iman, wants to leave Dahiyeh due to the recurring cycle of fear and displacement. “There’s no place better than our country,” Iman insisted, but Dahiyeh does not feel safe to her anymore. She is searching for a new home, but finding a place to rent is far from simple. “In Hazmieh, most of them don’t rent to Shia families, or they would double the price,” Iman said.
Despite the challenges, the family does not want to leave Lebanon. Hassan, Iman’s son, has turned down a job offer abroad, and they are exhausted but not ready to abandon their country. “I just wanted out,” Hassan said. “I don’t care where we go. Just somewhere that isn’t a target.”
Dahiyeh has never been entirely safe, with a history shaped by the 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War and Israeli assaults. The cycle of fear and displacement continues, and families like Fatima’s are struggling to find a sense of security and belonging. As Iman said, “If it were just me, I’d stay. But I have kids. I have to protect them.”
The story of Fatima and her family is a testament to the resilience and determination of those affected by conflict. Despite the challenges, they continue to hold on to their sense of identity and community, even in the face of uncertainty and fear.