“You could feel the buildings being crushed,” he said from a three-bedroom apartment in Lebanon’s north being shared by a dozen family members. “It was the most terrifying experience of my life.”
The man, who asked not to be identified out of fear for his family’s safety, fled with little more than blankets, pots and pans, and a portable stove.
Inside the apartment the Australian citizen and his family are sharing after fleeing Beirut.
“We are among the lucky ones. At least we have mattresses to sleep on. My son’s in-laws had only the clothes on them,” he said.
Like others in Lebanon, he is trying desperately to get his family out of the country and to the safety of Australian shores. But he is stranded having spent thousands of dollars on flights that have been cancelled, no closer to knowing when he can leave or if his temporary safe haven will be targeted in an Israeli strike.
Mandoh’s relatives in Australia are desperate for her to return to Sydney, where she was born and raised her two oldest children before relocating to Lebanon in 2014.
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“They’re glued to the TV. They’re always asking me what I’m doing,” she said.
Until her home is at imminent risk of an airstrike, Mandoh will only leave the relative safety of her apartment for absolute essentials.
“You can go out, but it’s the fear that a random thing could happen and you could be one of those innocent passersby,” she said.
“This is the hardest thing about it – the not knowing what could happen if you leave the house.
“You’re just worried that they’ll strike and you just don’t know.”
Mandoh considers herself fortunate compared with the people she said have been displaced and left homeless because of the bombings.
Sydney barrister Mahmoud Mando, whose sister is in Beirut.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
“There are people that sleep in their cars because they’ve got nowhere to go. Most of the vacant apartments have been taken,” she said.
“People are just running out with whatever they have on them and just picking up their kids and running.
“They just pick up the children in their pyjamas and run out the door.”
Mandoh’s older brother, Mahmoud Mando, a Sydney barrister, said anytime Israeli attacks hit civilian areas in Lebanon “indiscriminately” he has concerns for his relatives’ safety.
For him, the past few days have been especially hard as Israel launched its invasion into Lebanon.
“Every civilian life lost is a life wasted unnecessarily, especially those of children, who are blameless,” he said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian government was working with its Canadian and British counterparts to help citizens leave Lebanon. It said a number of Australians left Lebanon on commercial flights on Monday and Tuesday and that seats on flights on Thursday had been secured.
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The department urged Australians trying to exit Lebanon to register through its online portal and leave the country at the earliest opportunity because of the risk Beirut’s airport could shut down.
“Australians in Lebanon should be prepared to leave quickly or shelter in place for an extended period. Make sure you have enough supplies including food, water, medicine, radio, torches and batteries. Know where your identity documents are, including your passport,” a spokesman said.
“If conditions worsen, we may not be able to assist all Australians remaining in Lebanon.”
For both families, the uncertainty of how long the conflict will rage on only adds to their fears.
“It’s quite terrifying because you don’t know how big it’s going to get and when it’s going to end,” Mandoh said.
“You just don’t know how long it’s going to be.”
On Wednesday afternoon (AEST), Mandoh’s friend was still trying desperately to secure his family’s safe return to Australia.
“We say the word ‘terrifying’ but what’s really important [to know] is the feelings you can’t transfer, the fear … not knowing what’s going to happen in the next minute, in the next second,” he said.
Australians in Middle East face reality of war
