Milan, 10 April (LaPresse) – "We know that people need flour, drinking water and medicines, but it is not just that. The most important thing is our presence. During the time we spend together, people experience a moment of celebration, a moment of peace. They do not feel abandoned, they do not feel alone.‘ So said Monsignor Paolo Borgia, Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, in an interview with “la Repubblica”. ’In Beirut,‘ he emphasised, ’the situation remains chaotic following what happened on Tuesday, undoubtedly the most difficult moment since the start of the conflict. There was a simultaneous, widespread attack across several neighbourhoods and in the south of the country. They say there are more than a thousand injured and were talking of 250 or 300 dead, but this figure will need to be verified as the rubble is cleared.” According to Monsignor Borgia, “as in every war, in the end it is mainly civilians who pay the price, and in particular children and vulnerable people. So far, around 130 children have been reported dead. This is a painful statistic. In Beirut there are around a million displaced people. Even in the south, some are living in their cars; I saw the seafront full of cars. People who have left their villages are facing difficult living conditions and are wondering if they will be able to return and if they will still find a home.” “UNIFIL,” he adds, “is doing an exceptional job: it monitors the ceasefire, ensures security and access to humanitarian aid for civilians in the Blue Line area, and assists the Lebanese armed forces. Attacking it is certainly reprehensible.” And, when asked if he sees a risk that Christians might leave Lebanon, the Apostolic Nuncio in Beirut replies: “I hope not; Christians, like other sections of society, are deeply rooted in Lebanon and have a long history here. Of course, the challenge is to provide acceptable living conditions: we must not forget the economic crisis of recent years and last year’s war.”