At Beirut shoreline camp, volunteer barber brings dignity with free haircuts
Barber Daniel Zeaiter has been offering free haircuts at a large displacement camp along Beirut’s shoreline, where thousands of people uprooted by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah have taken shelter. Moving between plastic chairs with clippers and scissors, Zeaiter trims hair and shaves beards for families living through weeks of uncertainty. He said he began volunteering more than 50 days ago to bring comfort and dignity to people who lost homes or remain unable to return to southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire that took effect on 17 April 2026. About 1 million people were displaced internally due to armed conflict in Lebanon last year, with nearly 400 families receiving emergency cash assistance from humanitarian organizations. At the camp, residents describe the haircuts as a rare return to ordinary life. Nabil Daoud, displaced from the town of Khiam, praised Zeaiter for leaving his job to support families struggling with overcrowding, uncertainty and the emotional toll of prolonged displacement.
