STORY: Lebanese refugees seek safety in Syria as conflict with Israel escalates
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 2, 2024
DATELINE: Oct. 4, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:17
LOCATION: Damascus
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Mar Elias Monastery
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): HUDA ARMAN, Lebanese refugee
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): KHAWLA MURTADA, Lebanese refugee
4. various of the border crossings in Homs

STORYLINE:

At the Mar Elias Monastery in the quiet town of Rableh, nestled in the countryside of Syria's Homs province, a different kind of sanctuary has been formed for those fleeing the woes of war in neighboring Lebanon.

Inside its modest rooms, Lebanese displaced by the Israeli military operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, have found temporary safety away from the explosions and Israeli shelling.

The monastery, now converted into a shelter, offers sparse accommodations. Families sleep on mattresses placed on the floor, and local organizations run activities for children to distract them from the trauma of war.

Huda Arman, in her 40s, fled Lebanon with her two children, leaving her husband behind. 

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): HUDA ARMAN, Lebanese refugee
"We've been here for almost a week. After the war started, we stayed in our homes for a while until the shelling intensified. That's when we decided to leave. The conditions we went through -- the shelling on the houses, made us fear for the children. It no longer felt safe, so we came to Syria. I hope to return to my village. No matter how far you go, nothing compares to your homeland."

Seventeen-year-old Khawla Murtada also fled Hermel with her parents and two sisters.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): KHAWLA MURTADA, Lebanese refugee
"I'm here with my family. We have two little girls with us, and they were terrified by the shelling and the sounds, so we had to come here to protect them and the family. I was also worried about my little sister getting depressed from seeing and hearing all the violence. We hope this situation ends as soon as possible so we can return to our homes in peace and safety."

Despite the growing numbers, the local community and religious organizations are doing their best to provide for those seeking safety. But for the families at Mar Elias Monastery, the future is uncertain. 

Yet, amid this uncertainty, the dreams of going back home and enjoying their stolen peace are all that they are thinking about.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Damascus.
(XHTV)