Wed Sep 25 08:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Canadians in Montreal Fear for Loved Ones Amidst Escalating Conflict in Lebanon

**Montreal, Canada** – The escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has cast a shadow of fear and anxiety over the Lebanese-Canadian community in Montreal. Residents are grappling with the growing danger facing their families and loved ones in Lebanon, where airstrikes and rocket attacks have become a daily reality.

Nassam Charara, a Canadian citizen who grew up in Lebanon, described the constant worry she feels for her family back home. “We are scared to go to sleep at night,” she said, “because we are afraid to wake up to news that a family member has died, or your house has been exploded or neighbours have died.”

Charara’s parents have evacuated their home in Lebanon and are currently staying in Beirut, while the Canadian government is urging its citizens in the country to evacuate. The situation has grown increasingly volatile, with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowing to continue airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

“We need the war to end, the war in Gaza or also at the border between Lebanon and Israel,” said Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, calling for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.

The conflict has already claimed the lives of two Canadian citizens, according to Global Affairs Canada.

Joe Abou-Malhab, who recently returned from Beirut where he attended his sister’s wedding, described a palpable sense of fear and apprehension among the Lebanese population. “It definitely felt much more tense than usual,” he said. “People are scared. People are worried. Everyone is kind of waiting for that moment when all hell breaks loose.”

Rita Wakim Hage, a Montreal resident who moved to Canada in 2021 after losing three family members to COVID-19, is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her husband and son, who remain in Lebanon. Her family fears that the situation will only worsen.

“I am very worried about them,” she said. “It’s a risk to get hurt at any time in Beirut with the airstrikes all the time, all day long for two days. It’s an ongoing conflict in Lebanon. The situation is very critical.”

The Lebanese-Canadian community in Montreal is grappling with a sense of helplessness and uncertainty. They can only hope for a swift resolution to the conflict and the safe return of their loved ones.

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