Thousands Lebanese refugees crossed back into Lebanon from Syria on the second day of a truce between Israel and Hezbollah, AP reports. The cease-fire agreement was reached with the mediation of the US and France after 14 months of intense military action, quoted by News.bg.
In the first day, more than 2,000 people returned to Lebanon, and by Thursday, the number already exceeded 4,000. According to reports, the working border crossings are overflowing with cars, and returning families are worried about finding their homes and places to live. work completely destroyed.
The armistice – hope and risk
The ceasefire, which took effect yesterday, is intended to allow residents in the devastated border areas to return to their homes. The agreement prohibits offensive operations by either side, and Israeli forces have 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon.
Despite the truce, however, tensions remain. Israeli tanks shelled six areas in southern Lebanon, including the village of Markaba, injuring two people, according to security sources. The Israeli army reported that the shelling was provoked by the appearance of “suspicious persons” near the border.
Israeli authorities warned residents of border areas not to return to their homes because of the dangers, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to strictly control access.
„Hezbollah“ remains on standby
Despite the diplomatic achievement, “Hezbollah” said its fighters remain “fully equipped” and they are watching the Israeli withdrawal “with their hand on the trigger“. The organization has also been weakened following the killing of its leader, Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, and other top commanders.
Context and Implications
The conflict, which has lasted more than a year, has forced more than 600,000 Lebanese to seek refuge in Syria. At the same time, Lebanon has already sheltered over 1 million Syrian refugees fleeing the war in their homeland.
While Lebanon and Israel are trying to stabilize the situation, Israel remains involved in another conflict – with the Palestinian group “Hamas” in the Gaza Strip.
The truce between Israel and “Hezbollah” is one of the rare diplomatic achievements in the region. It gives the people of Lebanon and Israel hope for a return to normality, but for now the balance remains fragile.