‘Ordinary is not really possible’: Beirut writer recounts daily life during war

Lebanon residents continue to live in fear as Israel intensifies its bombardment of the country.

Attacks escalated earlier this month after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader. 

An estimated 886 people, including 111 children, have been killed following Israel’s attacks in Lebanon, the country’s Health Ministry confirms.

Beirut writer Natalie Rosa Bucher explained that daily life has been marked by the constant threat of bombardment and the disruption of basic services.

With thousands injured and over a million people displaced, she said it is hard to return to any sense of normalcy.

"Ordinary is not really possible at the moment because we live through these extreme times.”

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She added that, despite the challenges, the Lebanese people have found ways to maintain a semblance of routine. 

“A little while ago, from my balcony, I could hear the shutters of the butcher downstairs opening, [and] I know by around eight o'clock the hairdresser is going to open,” she said.

Burcher emphasises the importance of understanding the war in Lebanon's historical context, which has been ongoing for decades, highlighting the need for international intervention to bring an end to the violence.

“This is not the first time. This is a part of a number of wars and attacks that Israel has been waging against Lebanon. In fact, this week is 45 years since the first invasion in 1978.”

To listen to Bucher in conversation with CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit, use the audio player below: