Hundreds attend downtown rally in support of Lebanon amid Israeli attacks on country

Salma Khalaf says her family's group text messages, where they keep in touch, used to be filled with jokes, laughs and life updates.

Now, she says, it's filled with fear, reports of bombings, and desperation.

"They're constantly sharing news and pictures of what's happening and videos. They're constantly checking in on each other saying, 'Did you hear the bomb? Is it close to you?''' she said.

Khalaf's story matched closely with that of many others who attended a rally in support of Lebanon in downtown London, Friday evening.

Hundreds of Londoners were at the band shell at Victoria Park, an organized response to a recent escalation in violence between Israel and Lebanon that has seen Israeli airstrikes devastate parts of southern and central Lebanon, including parts of Beirut.

At the same time, Ottawa announced it has started booking blocks of seats on commercial flights to help Canadians get out of Lebanon.The attacks, Israel claims, are against what it calls Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

Lebanon's health ministry said attacks that happened on Monday left more than 550 people dead, including at least 50 children and 98 women. Since then, dozens more have been killed or injured, the Lebanese health ministry said.

It's a scene that, while out of a nightmare, isn't unknown to Khalaf. 

The 24-year-old came to Canada to study, leaving behind her siblings, parents and extended family in Lebanon. 

"I lived through it when I was six years old," Khalaf said, referring to the 2006 Lebanon war. "I remember being internally displaced in Lebanon then, and now the same things are happening to my cousins."

Khalaf said she's thankful to be in a safe place in London, however when she's in class studying, her mind is with her family.

Nadir Kadri, who was born and raised in London, has extended family in Lebanon. 

"It's difficult. Enough is enough," he said. "The world has turned a blind eye to this aggression for too long."

What he's heard from his family members in Lebanon is "devastating," he said, adding that he'll continue to attend rallies and protests to pressure government to act.