As a tenuous ceasefire takes hold in Lebanon, residents are making the arduous journey back to their homes in the southern region. Mohammed Ashour, 60, left his temporary refuge in Beirut at dawn, determined to see his hometown of Shaqra after 44 days of displacement. Despite warnings from the Lebanese army, the Israel Defense Forces, and Hezbollah about the dangers still present, Ashour felt compelled to return. By 3 PM, he found himself stuck in traffic, as the typically two-hour drive stretched into ten. The coastal highway was congested with thousands of cars, many packed with families and belongings, all returning to a land marked by destruction. This comprehensive guide covers ‘everything has changed’: bittersweet emotions as lebanese return south in detail.
Understanding ‘Everything Has Changed’: Bittersweet Emotions As Lebanese Return South
The Lebanese army had worked throughout the night to repair the Qasmiyeh Bridge into Tyre, which had been bombed shortly before the ceasefire. Cars moved slowly over the makeshift crossing, with many residents navigating roads strewn with debris and damaged infrastructure. "They told me my house was destroyed. But I wanted to come and see it for myself," Ashour said, reflecting on the heavy toll the conflict had taken on his community. Many others shared his resolve, with families packed into vehicles, some even driving through the Litani River to reach their destinations. Originally reported by The Guardian.
As Ashour and others made their way back, the atmosphere was initially festive, punctuated by the waving of Lebanese and Hezbollah flags among cheering crowds. Some returned residents flashed victory signs, a gesture of hope even in the face of uncertainty. Yet this spirit quickly turned somber as they arrived in their villages. The reality of the damage began to sink in, overshadowing the initial relief of returning home.
Bittersweet Returns to Srifa
Hassan Najdi, a 28-year-old electrical engineer, returned to find his house in the town of Srifa heavily damaged. Standing outside what was left of his backyard, he surveyed the wreckage scattered around him, including his neighbor's roof and the charred remains of his own home. "Honestly, everything has changed a lot. The features of the place are completely different. When you first enter the village, you can't even recognize that this is the Srifa it used to be," Najdi lamented as he began the painful task of cleaning up.
Srifa has borne a heavy burden during the conflict, with Israeli airstrikes intensifying just hours before the ceasefire. Among the devastation, Najdi noted that three-quarters of the homes in his neighborhood had been flattened, contributing to the staggering toll of over 2,100 lives lost in the ongoing war. Najdi's uncle, Dr. Wadih Najdeh, a surgeon who had worked throughout the conflict at a governmental hospital in Tebnine, also returned to find his clinic in ruins, with debris littering the surgical chair and shattered windows. "Returning brings both joy and pain. The pain comes from losing young people-friends and companions-and also from seeing the destruction on the road and in the village, especially in Srifa, where the damage is very extensive," Najdeh expressed.
Uncertainty Looms Over Ceasefire
The return of residents to their homes is overshadowed by uncertainty. The ceasefire, which has paused hostilities that erupted on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader, is fragile. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated the ongoing threat, stating, "One way or another, we will restore security to the residents of the north," while emphasizing the duality of their approach: "One of our hands holds a weapon, our other hand is extended in peace." Residents remain acutely aware that this ceasefire could quickly devolve into renewed conflict.
Many have chosen to seize this moment, however brief, to return home to assess their situations. "We've come back during these 10 days to see what the situation is with this truce, whether there will actually be commitment from the Israeli side," Najdi remarked. Meanwhile, others remain unable to return, as Israeli forces maintain positions close to the border, and those who approach are met with gunfire.
The bittersweet journey home for many in southern Lebanon underscores the complex emotions of returning to a place marked by loss and destruction. As families grapple with the realities of what awaits them, the hope for a lasting peace remains uncertain.
Originally reported by The Guardian. View original.