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On this day in 1982, the Sabra and Shatila massacre began. Over a span of about 36 to 48 hours, a Lebanese Christian militia known as the Phalangists, allied with and supported by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), entered the predominantly Palestinian refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in West Beirut. The massacre involved the systematic killing of a large number of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians. Entry into the Camps: September 16, 1982 (Thursday): -At around 6:00 PM, the Phalangist militia, under the command of Elie Hobeika, entered the camps. -The IDF had surrounded the camps, controlling the exits and providing logistical support such as illumination flares throughout the night to facilitate the operation. The Massacre: Night of September 16 and Early Hours of September 17: -The Phalangists began systematically killing residents of the camps. -Armed with knives, axes, and firearms, the militiamen went from house to house, executing men, women, and children indiscriminately. -Survivors reported instances of rape, mutilation, and other atrocities. September 17, 1982 (Friday): -Killing continued throughout the day and night. -The IDF, positioned at strategic points around the camps, maintained control of the perimeter, preventing people from escaping. -Bulldozers, provided by the IDF, were used to bury bodies in mass graves and to cover up evidence of the massacre. September 18, 1982 (Saturday): -By noon, international and Lebanese journalists began reporting on the massacre, having entered the camps and witnessed the aftermath. -Under growing international outrage and scrutiny, the Israeli government ordered the Phalangists to withdraw from the camps. -The killing ceased by late afternoon, and the Phalangists withdrew, leaving behind a scene of widespread devastation and horror. Red Cross officials and other witnesses who entered the camps after the massacre discovered scenes of extreme carnage, with bodies scattered in the streets and in homes. Up to 3500 were killed, including many women, children, and elderly. Israeli war criminal Ariel Sharon, who was the Israeli Defense Minister at the time, played a significant role in the Sabra and Shatila massacre. As the head of the IDF, Sharon oversaw the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the subsequent encirclement of the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. The IDF provided logistical support to the Phalangist militia, including illumination flares and control of the camp perimeters, which facilitated the massacre.