An Italian UNIFIL soldier in front of the Notre-Dame Church in Ain Ibl, March 16. (Credit: Lucile Wassermann/L’Orient-Le Jour)
A humanitarian convoy under the aegis of the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, as well as the Christian NGOs L’Œuvre d’Orient and Caritas, was able to reach Rmeish, Ain Ibl and Dibil on Thursday, despite difficulties. These three Christian villages are located in the Bint Jbeil district below the so-called Yellow Line, an area occupied by the Israeli army. The convoy had to turn back after encountering Israeli tanks just before reaching the localities but eventually managed to enter, though without the dozen civilian cars accompanying it.
The convoy also consisted of 25 trucks carrying various types of aid from Caritas and L’Œuvre d’Orient, including diesel, food, water and mattresses. Departing from Sour in the morning, the convoy had to turn back after encountering Israeli tanks between Srebbine and Rshaf, according to a source within the convoy. Machine-gun fire was then reported just meters from the nuncio.
After returning to Sour, the convoy was ultimately authorized to take the Naqoura road to reach the villages, without the civilian vehicles.
The NGOs' last humanitarian convoy, also under the aegis of the apostolic nuncio, was on May 25.
