Jamsheed is Media Correspondent for Islamic Relief Worldwide and is writing a daily blog for us on his Lebanon experiences.DAY 3: TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2006Heading south
 | | Destruction in Tyre |
We are heading for the southern town of Tyre. It is not too far from the Israeli border and has been heavily bombed. We have distributed food parcels in the town and are looking to expand our work there. As we leave Sidon the roads are busy – it’s not been like this for a few days. I notice that many of the cars have white flags on their antennas. They are people fleeing from southern towns. Once again, I find myself going in the opposite direction to most of the traffic. Deserted towns
 | | Tyre |
As we get closer to Tyre, Lebanese soldiers man more and more checkpoints.
The town itself is deserted. It has a population of around 80,000 but only a few thousand remain, if that. I can hear the sound of Israeli war planes and drones hovering above. There is intensive bombing taking place somewhere nearby – I ask a local and he tells me the bombing is only 10 km from where we are. I walk through the streets and turn a corner where I find total destruction. A block of flats lies in ruins. On a pile of rubble I see the head of a baby doll and a child’s bag. I wonder who these items belonged to? It must have been a little girl. Where is she now? Is she dead or alive? Ruins
 | | Jamshhed with Rizwan |
We carry on driving through the empty streets and we pass by Roman ruins that are said to be over 2,000 years old. This entire region is steeped in history and I look at the ancient Roman pillars and contrast them with the destroyed flats that are now nothing more than rubble. The flats were probably built within that least twenty years and now nothing remains of them. Business as usualWe travel to a small warehouse where some of our food parcels are stored. Next door I see a strange sight. A carpenter is hard at work and his workshop is open – he’s behaving like it’s business as usual. I approach him and ask why he hasn’t fled like most of the town. “Most of my family has left the town but I’m not going to move because this is my town and I want to die here and not outside – and I want to help people, especially children,” he said. His name is Sulayman Jawad and after I have spoken with him he carries on his work. The coffin-maker
 | | Destruction in Tyre |
I am told there is a coffin maker nearby so I go to visit him. His name is Rizwan Zaker and his stuffy workshop is in the basement of a large building. He is hard at work and is dripping with sweat. He has made coffins for those killed at Qana and those who have died in villages and towns further south. I ask him how he feels about what he is doing and the current crisis. He replies, “What can you say when you see all these dead people?” 48 hour haltWe leave Rizwan’s workshop and the bombing seems to be getting closer – we are told that we must leave the area as it is getting increasingly dangerous. As we leave Tyre and there is a convoy of cars at the edge of the town all heading north. We were told there would be a 48-hour halt on air strikes, but we could hear the sound of bombing coming from further south. Maybe it was artillery, I don’t know. Awaiting news
 | | Jamsheed with Ali Karim |
We get stuck behind a convoy of cars heading out of Tyre, although many have decided to stay in the town. Islamic Relief is working to get food to them. The people here are vulnerable and are in desperate need of help. I hear the news that there is more fighting taking place just south of where we are. Every day I think I will hear that a ceasefire has been agreed – and every day I find myself disappointed. | 
