STORY: Lebanese refugees fleeing Israel's assault caught between hope, lasting scars of war
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 15, 2024
DATELINE: Oct. 18, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:50
LOCATION: Damascus
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Al-Herjalleh refugees shelter
2. various of Haidar Abu Ali beside his room
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): HAIDAR ABU ALI, Lebanese refugee
4. various of Haidar Abu Ali sitting with his neighborhood
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): HAIDAR ABU ALI, Lebanese refugee
6. various of Haidar Abu Ali's hand
7. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): HAIDAR ABU ALI, Lebanese refugee
8. various of Khaled Abu Malik sitting with his neighborhood
9. SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): KHALED ABU MALIK, Lebanese refugee
10. various of shots inside the shelter
11. SOUNDBITE 5 (Arabic): KHALED ABU MALIK, Lebanese refugee
12. various of shots inside the shelter

STORYLINE:

Fleeing escalating violence, Haidar Abu Ali, a 45-year-old widower from Lebanon, arrived at a displacement shelter in the countryside of the Syrian capital Damascus with his six children after a perilous journey on foot.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): HAIDAR ABU ALI, Lebanese refugee
"Honestly, I wished for death rather than witnessing those scenes, but my biggest fear was for my children. My concern was to get them out of that destruction because they are the most precious ones to me. I just hoped that nothing would harm them. My main focus was to get my children out of that place."

The escalating violence and relentless bombardment left Abu Ali with no choice but to abandon everything he once knew.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): HAIDAR ABU ALI, Lebanese refugee
"We left our home in the clothes we were wearing. Now, we wash our clothes and wait for them to dry so we can wear them again. We don't even have money or anything. We left our home and came here, and now we don't even know if our house is still standing or has been destroyed."

Despite the hardships, Abu Ali remains resolute in his desire to return home.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): HAIDAR ABU ALI, Lebanese refugee
"I don't want to be anywhere else. Even if my house is destroyed, I would live in a tent next to it -- at least I would be in my homeland, with my dignity intact."

For many Lebanese, like Khaled Abu Malik, the rapid escalation of violence came as a shock.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): KHALED ABU MALIK, Lebanese refugee
"The situation deteriorated so quickly. We never imagined things would reach this point. The war on the border has been ongoing for more than a year, but the sudden escalation was overwhelming. The bombardment was beyond anything we had ever experienced. It was nerve-wracking, especially for the women and children, whom we worried about the most. The shock was, where could we go? We suddenly found ourselves here, but thank God, everything is provided here."

However, despite finding temporary safety, Abu Malik longs for the day he can return to his homeland.

SOUNDBITE 5 (Arabic): KHALED ABU MALIK, Lebanese refugee
"Life feels like it has stopped here, but there is still hope. I want to return home under any circumstances, to be with my family. Even if a person dies, it's better to die among your own people. This is the first time we've been displaced from our homes. I've never experienced this feeling before, but I feel it now. It's a difficult feeling."

For both men, the desire to return to their homes, despite the destruction and uncertainty, is a common thread. 

They, like thousands of others, dream of the day when they can rebuild their lives in their homeland. 

But for now, they remain refugees, grappling with the aftermath of a conflict that has once again reshaped their lives.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Damascus.
(XHTV)