” “Houses damaged and abandoned and therefore at risk of looting, destroyed bridges, blocked roads, people suffering for the lack of food and medicines. This is the testimony of the Franciscans of the convent of Beirut, sent by the Franciscan Custody, telling what is happening over these hours in the country of the cedars. "The bombings they write can be heard loud and clear. They are a few kilometres from the convent, southwards: before the airport, then closer, in east Beirut, 2-4 km from here. The nearest one was at the harbour, which has been bombed several times. Gemmayzeh is empty, few cars drive along during the day, and none at night, all restaurants are closed down… it had not been like this for years. Dawra has been bombed, Dawra is the crossroads that links Beirut to the Christian region, and the same happened to Jounieh. Bombings over Yarzeh as well, near Baabda, and this means the Christian districts and regions too are targeted". It is southern Lebanon that is suffering most: "All bridges broken, all roads blocked, it has remained cut off, and people suffer for the most basic needs, for the lack of food and medicines. Only 1000 packs of bread get to Tiro for 120,000 people: it means one pack of bread per 120 people. The bombings are not sparing children, women or old people".
