Hundreds attend downtown rally in support of Lebanon amid Israeli attacks on country
Lebanese-Canadians at the rally said their families are reporting terrifying conditions
Salma Khalaf says her family's group text messages, where they keep in touch, used to be filled with jokes, laughs and life updates.
Now, she says, it's filled with fear, reports of bombings, and desperation.
"They're constantly sharing news and pictures of what's happening and videos. They're constantly checking in on each other saying, 'Did you hear the bomb? Is it close to you?''' she said.
Khalaf's story matched closely with that of many others who attended a rally in support of Lebanon in downtown London, Friday evening.
Hundreds of Londoners were at the band shell at Victoria Park, an organized response to a recent escalation in violence between Israel and Hezbollah that has seen Israeli airstrikes devastate parts of southern and central Lebanon, including parts of Beirut.
At the same time, Ottawa announced it has started booking blocks of seats on commercial flights to help Canadians get out of Lebanon.The attacks, Israel claims, are against what it calls Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
Lebanon's health ministry said attacks that happened on Monday left more than 550 people dead, including at least 50 children and 98 women. Since then, dozens more have been killed or injured, the Lebanese health ministry said.
It's a scene that, while out of a nightmare, isn't unknown to Khalaf.
The 24-year-old came to Canada to study, leaving behind her siblings, parents and extended family in Lebanon.
"I lived through it when I was six years old," Khalaf said, referring to the 2006 Lebanon war. "I remember being internally displaced in Lebanon then, and now the same things are happening to my cousins."
Khalaf said she's thankful to be in a safe place in London, however when she's in class studying, her mind is with her family.
Nadir Kadri, who was born and raised in London, has extended family in Lebanon.
"It's difficult. Enough is enough," he said. "The world has turned a blind eye to this aggression for too long."
What he's heard from his family members in Lebanon is "devastating," he said, adding that he'll continue to attend rallies and protests to pressure government to act.
"We've been protesting since I was two years old in London. Right now I'm 44 and we're still protesting. We'll continue to protest until we die," he said.
Ahmad Samhat has lived in Canada for 30 years ago, but he said Lebanon still feels like home — especially with family members still living in the country.
Those family members, who live in southern Lebanon, have been fleeing north for days, Samhat said.
"It's been a tough few days on myself and my family. It puts a lot of pressure and stress on us on a daily we barely sleep."
Checking his phone and television for news and updates on not only his family's condition, but his country's condition, takes up more and more of his time, Samhat said.
"There's no security for them. No safe place," he said. "As human beings, we all want to live in peace."
Organizers and speakers at the event took turns speaking to the crowd, all sharing a similar call for peace and solidarity, with a specific focus on the federal government, which some say has an opaque policy on military exports to Israel.
"How can you support a two-state solution but provide one side with arms?" said Nehal Al Tarhuni, the president of the local Canadian Palestinian Social Association of London (CPSA).
Al Tarhuni, who is both Palestinian and Lebanese, said now her family in Lebanon is displaced — moving into rural areas to escape bombs. Her cousin who has twin babies, she said, is unable to find diapers and baby formula.
"The situation had already been very difficult for people living in Lebanon with the financial crisis, and this escalation of the violence has made it even worse for them," she said.
"We feel helpless. We feel like we can't do enough. As a community, we've been going through collective grief since the war in Gaza started, and now it's multiplying."
Al Tarhuni said the CPSA will continue to protest, with hopes of being seen by not only government officials, but average people as well.
"It's clearly working. There are people from all walks of life, faith, and race here."