Thursday, July 20 2006 11:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beirut: An estimated 15,000 people were reported Thursday to be trapped inside their villages in southern Lebanon without food and medical supplies due to the Israeli shelling.

Many villagers have sought refuge in churches which were also hit by the Israeli shelling. Some were being treated for serious wounds inside their houses, a Red Cross volunteer said.

"We are appealing to the Israelis to allow our cars at least to move in the village of Blida and Rmeish to evacuate the wounded and sick but no response," the volunteer told sources.

"Some of the trapped are Lebanese who hold German, British and Canadian passports," he said.

He stressed that they have no way of reaching the embassies of their countries. "We desperately need a humanitarian corridor to these villages because if we do not, we will be faced with catastrophe," he added.

"The Committee of the International Red Cross has been trying for the past two days to gain access to two villages to try to contain the situation before a massacre against humanity is committed," said the volunteer.

"Only a miracle will save those people," said the volunteer.

Israel last Wednesday launched a sea, air and land offensive against Lebanon after two of its soldiers were captured by Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon. More than 300 Lebanese and dozens of Palestinians and Israelis have died in the fighting.