Lebanon ceasefire: Displaced head home despite Israeli warnings

A ceasefire between Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israel went into effect in the early hours of Wednesday as thousands of displaced civilians began returning home.

The Israeli army, however, warned people not to return to parts of southern Lebanon with their forces still present in some areas close to the border.

They have 60 days to pull out their troops under the terms of the ceasefire, and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters must withdraw to the north of the Litani River.

The Lebanese army is expected to begin deploying thousands of troops to the area between the Litani River and the Lebanon-Israel border.

Caretaker Defence Minister Maurice Slim said 10,000 Lebanese soldiers in total will be gradually deployed south of the Litani and will work to enforce the ceasefire deal alongside the UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL.

The ceasefire was approved by Israel Tuesday evening, and later announced by US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, and went into effect at 4 m Beirut and Tel Aviv time (2am GMT).

Lebanon’s government formally announced the ceasefire deal Wednesday morning after a cabinet meeting which was joined by Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun.

People eager to return

As dawn broke, thousands of displaced people, who could no longer wait, began heading to Beirut’s southern suburbs, south Lebanon, and the eastern Beqaa region to check on their homes and villages.

Over 1.2 million people were forced from their homes in these three Shia-majority areas which had suffered the bulk of the Israeli assault, finding refuge in schools and other shelters, or even in the streets.

The privately-run Islamic Health Authority civil defence organisation told civilians to be careful of any ordnance left behind by the Israeli army and damaged roads.

The Lebanese army urged civilians to reduce exposure to dust and be cautious when moving unexploded ordnance that may be under the rubble.

Lebanese and UNIFIL forces helped in reopening the Kherdali Bridge with vehicles beginning to pass the crossing heading south.

Residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs flocked back to their neighbourhoods, battered since mid-September when the more than year-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah spiralled into a full-blown war.

Israeli threats

Many Lebanese are sceptical about the truce holding up with Israel saying it will not tolerate any violations from Hezbollah and vowing to respond “decisively”.

The Israeli army warned people not to return to Kfarkela, claiming that Hezbollah personnel were among the groups heading back to the border town.

In Khiam, where battles between Israel and Hezbollah have raged for weeks, there were reports of gunfire as Israeli soldiers prevented people from returning to their homes. Scenes of Israeli tanks still in the town were shared online.

On the other side of the border, where tens of thousands of Israelis have fled their homes in northern Israel, it was not clear when the Israeli government would facilitate their return.

The Israeli government, after consulting mayors of northern Israeli towns and villages in the north, reportedly said there was still no decision to return residents in the coming months.