South Lebanon regains its pulse after the Gaza truce

Al Jazeera Net correspondents

South Lebanon- With the announcement of the humanitarian truce on Friday morning, November 24, 2023, in the Gaza Strip for 4 days, the sounds of cannons and rockets on the Lebanese front drowned out, declaring almost complete calm, and with it, the people of the south breathed a sigh of relief, and returned to their villages and towns on the border with occupied Palestine, after they had left it. They were forced, as a result of the confrontations between the Islamic Resistance and the Israeli army since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

Suhail Rammal, son of the border town of Al-Adissa, which suffered its share of Israeli bombing, speaks to Al-Jazeera Net about the atmosphere of joy that the people of his town have been experiencing since Friday morning. The families who stayed in Al-Adissa during the battles went out to receive the returnees with a warm welcome, as many families returned to the town, and held… Family sessions and inspection visits to determine the condition of each other.

Since the first days of the outbreak of confrontations, Suhail took his family to Beirut. He stayed in his town for about 35 days, then left after the intensification of the Israeli bombing, which destroyed several homes, including his own. However, Suhail expresses great happiness with this return. “Everything can be compensated, and the important thing is that we live.” With dignity, and do not submit to the occupier,” he said.

Regarding the general conditions in the town, Suhail says, “There is no fear among the people, but there is anticipation and caution, especially since we in Lebanon are accustomed to Israeli treachery. It does not abide by any charter or covenant, but is threatened by treachery and murder.”

Return without fear

Abdul Karim Younis, a son of the border town of Markaba, told Al Jazeera Net that he did not leave his town throughout the battles, like many families who have not left since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza. Despite the great damage to homes, olive groves and other economic losses, people are very happy to return to Markaba, There has been a large movement inside the town since Friday morning, as visits to reassure and congratulate the residents on safety began.

Younis points out that there is significant damage to homes, as there are more than 20 damaged homes, some of which are partially damaged and some of them completely, and people are overjoyed with this return, because it is related to their land, which means a lot to them.

Younis adds, “There is no fear at all. If it were, we would not see families, young and old, returning to the border villages, but there is caution toward the Israeli army, and this is normal with an enemy like this.”

Mays al-Jabal, whose outskirts witnessed fierce battles with the Israeli army, especially towards the Al-Manara colony, received hundreds of shells, including phosphoric ones, which destroyed homes, crops, and commercial facilities there. With the start of the truce, dozens of displaced families returned to it.

picking olives

Dr. Muhammad Issa, the son of the town of Mays al-Jabal, who continued to frequent it throughout the battles, confirms that the town was not devoid of residents during the aggression, and that many young men remained there, but those who had children and the elderly were forced to leave as a precautionary measure to protect them from the Israeli killing machine.

Issa points out that since Friday morning, with the start of the truce in Gaza, people have prepared to return to their homes after they were forced to leave them, due to the Israeli attacks. “People want to be assured of their livelihood, and some of them took advantage of the truce to reap what remained of the olive harvests or to plant the land with wheat.” And barley and lentils. As for the owners of commercial establishments, they inspected their establishments, took inventory of their goods, and disposed of the damaged ones.”

Issa says, “People’s morale is very high, because they are basically psychologically prepared for such events. They have been accustomed to this since 1967, and they gave everything they had in order to preserve the land and support the Palestinian people, because of Palestine in the conscience of southerners, especially the people of the border strip villages, who They have social ties and relationships with the Palestinians.”

There is no fear at all in the south, especially in the border villages, according to Issa, but at the same time people are not reassured about the situation, especially since the settlers have not returned to their settlements in the occupied Palestinian north, which means that the Israeli enemy has not ended the war, and this is what drives the southerners. To act with caution.

The southerners are well aware that Israel seizes any opportunity to attack Lebanon, but their hopes are pinned on the resistance, which will be on the lookout for any reckless step Israel will take, whether during the truce or after it, and he knows that very well, and knows its consequences for him, according to Issa.

Issa points out that there is damage to many homes, especially those located on the highlands, or on the outskirts of the town, and people are waiting for the state to compensate those whose homes were damaged, and the farmers who lost their seasons, and to strengthen the situation of the people of the south so that they can remain on their land in the event of stability or war.

Inspection tours

With the calm of the southern front, there were inspection tours of the bodies and funds concerned with compensation for the population, and in this context, the head of the Supreme Relief Commission, Major General Muhammad Khair, confirmed in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Net, that there were meetings held by the Commission with international organizations, which in turn promised to provide in-kind assistance from the stock it has, As well as from the Higher Relief Commission, in order to help citizens in the southern villages, urgently.

Regarding the damage resulting from the Israeli attacks, Major General Khair refers to his visit to the affected areas during the course of the battles, where he looked closely at the conditions of the towns, and inspected the damage to homes and orchards, and said, “We are waiting for a decision from the Council of Ministers to put in place the mechanism and solutions in order to survey the damage and compensate for the damage.” “Aggrieved people.”

Although the fires calmed down in the south, the sounds of reconnaissance aircraft never calmed down, nor did the Israeli army’s security alerts, and its shooting at southern farmers in order to intimidate them and prevent them from reaching their fields, in addition to the shooting at a UNIFIL patrol yesterday, Saturday, which calls for caution and anticipation of what will turn out. To her in the coming days, especially with the end of the humanitarian truce in Gaza.