Crossing the border: Displaced Lebanese seek shelter in Syria amid Israeli strikes

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

As Israeli airstrikes raged, the Masnaa Border Crossing between Lebanon and Syria became packed with thousands seeking refuge. 

Syria, once embroiled in its own civil war, has now become a haven for around 8,000 Lebanese and Syrian civilians fleeing the relentless bombardment.

The displacement began on Monday and continued through Wednesday but at a slower pace. Families, primarily from northern and central Bekaa, escaped the shelling that had reached their homes. Women crossed the border with their children after enduring hours of terror. 

Some had homes or relatives in Syria, while others found refuge in newly established shelters. The missiles that forced people from their homes also created a growing humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, Syrians who had previously fled the war in their own country are now returning.

At the border crossing, those with legal residency had their documents processed, while others who had not renewed their papers were granted immediate legal status. 

Moreover, for those who could not afford the fees or had entered Lebanon clandestinely, alternative routes through mountain paths and known smuggling paths offered an escape.

According to security sources, Lebanese and Syrian authorities have eased the process for those fleeing, requiring only basic identification. In times of war, civilians are not spared.