Lebanese displaced return home, despite warnings

By Nathan Morley

Tens of thousands of Lebanese, driven from their homes by the hostilities, have been heading south.

The Lebanese army has called on citizens to be patient while waiting for the withdrawal of the Israeli army, and the latter has warned residents not to approach the positions where it remains deployed.

Since October 2023, over 900,000 Lebanese have fled the bombings, which have intensified at the end of September this year. The displaced are mainly returning to the south of the country, which borders Israel and has been particularly affected by Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah, which is present in the region.

However, the Israeli army echoed a warning to Lebanese residents not to enter the area adjacent to the Israeli border, demarcated by a line running from the towns of Mansouri in the west to Shebaa in the east.

The US envoy who helped negotiate the ceasefire in Lebanon, says it could bring an end to fighting in Gaza.

Amos Hochstein said the ceasefire in Lebanon now meant that Hezbollah was without allies, while Israel no longer had to fight a two-front war.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect in Lebanon at dawn on Wednesday, after more than a year of cross-border hostilities and two months of open warfare. 

The agreement provides for a sixty-day transition phase, during which Israeli troops will have to withdraw from the area. At the same time, Hezbollah forces will have to withdraw north of the Litani River, while the Lebanese Armed Forces will gradually redeploy to the border strip.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) welcomed the development, saying it had begun to adapt its operations to the "new situation”.