### Ethiopian Migrant Worker in Lebanon Recounts Survival Amid Israeli Air Strikes

Soreti, a 34-year-old Ethiopian migrant domestic worker in Lebanon, narrowly escaped death when Israeli airstrikes hit her neighborhood in Tyre on September 23. She described the aftermath as a massacre, attributing her survival to sheer luck, though she now suffers from partial hearing loss. She is currently taking refuge in a private residence alongside dozens of other African migrants and their children, who are troubled by nightmares.

Lebanon is home to an estimated 175,000 to 200,000 foreign domestic workers, predominantly women, with Ethiopians constituting at least 75 percent of this group, according to a 2019 Amnesty International report. These workers have been a staple in Lebanon since the 1980s, mostly employed in low-paid live-in caregiving roles and sending remittances to their families back home.

Increased Israeli attacks targeting Hezbollah facilities have claimed at least 1,900 lives in Lebanon over the past year, displacing more than one million people. Among the displaced are numerous migrant domestic workers who find themselves without safe refuge. "Everybody fled the city towards Beirut or other places where they have relatives. But for migrants, there is no place to go," Soreti said.

In Sidon, schools serve as makeshift shelters for displaced Lebanese citizens, but migrant domestic workers are often left stranded. Wubayehu Negash, another Ethiopian domestic worker, fears for her safety despite Sidon having been less affected by the conflict so far. "We haven't been hit too hard yet. Nearby areas like Nabatieh and Ghazieh were destroyed. We're OK, but I feel uneasy about staying," she said, recounting that this current situation feels much worse than the 2006 conflict.

Lebanon's financial crisis, worsening since 2019, has compounded the plight of domestic workers. The local currency’s dramatic devaluation forced many employers to abandon their workers, stranding them with no means of support. The onset of regular cross-border exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah over the past year has only intensified the crisis, leading to a surge in repatriation requests. While the Philippines government has been active in repatriating its citizens, African diplomatic responses have been notably absent.

Sophie Ndongo, a migrant domestic worker and Cameroonian community leader in Beirut, expressed frustration over the lack of support from African consulates. She has received numerous pleas for help from fellow migrants, despite having no formal position of authority. Many consulates, often managed by part-time or voluntary honorary consuls, fall short in providing necessary aid.

As airstrikes continue, finding shelter has become increasingly difficult for migrant workers, who face discrimination in public shelters. Sandrine, a Malagasy national, recounted being homeless for two days in Beirut. Displaced Africans refusing entry at public shelters find temporary solace in kind-hearted individuals and migrant-run organizations, but the need far exceeds the resources available.

Tsigereda Birhanu, an Ethiopian humanitarian worker, noted that short-term solutions like finding temporary shelter in private homes or abandoned buildings are insufficient. The immediate needs for food, medicine, and clothing for traumatized and displaced migrants are critical, especially as winter approaches. "We don't have the means to meet the demand," she said, emphasizing the urgent need for broader support.