For the Palestinians, the tragedy of Sabra and Shatila remains as a powerful reminder of their apparently endless cycle of displacement. The Sabra and Shatila massacre was the slaughter of 3,500 Palestinian and Lebanese civilians, by Phalangist Lebanese militia, led by Israel's Ariel Sharon from 16 September to 18 September 1982. By keeping Sabra and Shatila camps (which were designated as safe zones by international conventions) under siege, the Israeli army prevented Palestinians from escaping.