Among the priorities are reopening schools and paying teachers’ salaries, as these play a crucial role in passing on Christian values in the region.
People are feeling “scared, angry and sad” after more than 100 bombs fell across Beirut in a single night, shattering any remaining sense of safety for those still living in their homes, an aid worker has said.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a massive wave of strikes on Beirut on April 8, killing at least 254 people and injuring more than 1,000.
Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire with Iran on April 7, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there is “no ceasefire in Lebanon” and that his country would continue “to strike Hezbollah with full force.”
Marielle Boutros, project coordinator for the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), who lives and works in eastern Beirut, said people believed they were safe in their homes when the bombs began to fall.
She said: “Two days ago [April 8, 2026], more than 100 bombs fell over Beirut. It was everywhere, not just in the south of the capital but across the entire city. You could hear the bombs from our office.”
“Some areas had not been targeted before, so people thought they were safe, but they were not. It was frightening. It caused anger and deep sadness, especially when you hear that a ceasefire is happening elsewhere. It was truly tragic.”
A fragile ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, established in 2024, collapsed on February 28 after a U.S.-Israeli strike in Iran that killed its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Since then, more than 1,800 people have been killed, including 120 children, and a further 3,000 injured.
Israeli troops have evacuated large areas of southern villages as they attempt to seize control of the border region.
On March 31, the Lebanese Army withdrew from Rmeich and Ein Ebel, two Christian villages in southern Lebanon that are now within Israel’s buffer zone.
Marielle Boutros said each day brings a mix of relief and grief. “You feel dehumanized. You call your relatives and feel relieved they are safe, then you hear about 200 people killed and nearly 2,000 injured. You do not feel safe. Some victims were in their homes, places meant to be secure and comforting, and they were bombed.”
“You have to cope with anxiety, fear and even guilt that have built up over the past few years. For me, this is the hardest part: feeling relief that your own family is safe while other families are mourning their dead. There is also pressure to continue daily life because, with the economic crisis, you simply cannot afford not to.”
“We are not fine. We are surviving. Deep down, each of us just wants this nightmare to end somehow,” she told ACN.
ACN supports several projects in Lebanon, including assistance in the south through food parcels and medical aid. The organization also provides fuel to displaced families living in church centres, along with psychological support and trauma healing programs for children.
According to Marielle Boutros, support for schools and churches is critical.
“Right now, schools in southern Lebanon are not operating. Some are running online, but teachers still need to be paid. This is a real emergency.
We cannot afford another interruption in education. Schools were already closed in 2019, during COVID-19, and again amid the economic crisis.”
“The school system in Lebanon is essential for the population. It is a source of strength. After graduating, many students go abroad to pursue further studies before returning. These institutions cannot simply shut down.”
“For the Church, schools are also vital. They are places for catechesis, mission, preaching, and for passing on and living Christian values. These are foundational elements of society here.”
Ms. Boutros appealed for prayers, saying: “If people can pray for us. It is becoming harder day by day, but we still feel that prayer is possible. Our God is a God who rose again. He defeated death. We place our trust in Him.”
