A year after Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire, over 64,000 Lebanese displaced | Israel attacks Lebanon
In the wake of Israel’s war on Lebanon, which escalated in 2024, many residents like Ali from the village of Haddatha have faced significant upheaval. Before the conflict, Ali’s village, located near the Israeli border, was a peaceful agricultural community. However, the war led to devastating attacks, claiming the lives of at least nine people and injuring thousands on September 17, 2024, including the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon.
In a period marked by indifference toward civilian lives, Israeli military actions intensified, resulting in nearly 600 deaths in a single day, the deadliest since Lebanon’s civil war ended in 1990. Over one million people were displaced as homes, like Ali’s, were destroyed. Despite a ceasefire agreement on November 27, 2024, meant to halt hostilities and enable displaced residents to return home, many remain unable to return to their villages due to ongoing insecurity and Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon.
As of October 2025, the International Organization for Migration reported over 64,000 internally displaced persons in Lebanon. The situation remains dire, exacerbated by Israeli violations of the ceasefire and persistent attacks. Ali, finding refuge in Burj Qalaway, struggles to rebuild amid a lack of sufficient aid from the Lebanese government or Hezbollah. Psychological trauma further complicates the recovery process, as many displaced individuals, including a woman named Melina from Odaisseh, cannot even bear to revisit their razed villages.
Reports indicate that some villages have been completely destroyed, and the Israeli army continues to conduct military operations that further hinder rebuilding efforts. Ali’s market income is insufficient to overhaul his destroyed home, and ongoing attacks on reconstruction resources necessitate reliance on scant assistance from Hezbollah, which has been criticized for its limited financial support.
The war’s impact extends beyond immediate destruction; it has left deep psychological scars and created an environment of fear, where even returning to once-familiar areas feels dangerous. Residents, like Ramez from Beirut’s southern suburbs, have experienced direct attacks on their homes. Though his family physically survived an airstrike, they faced hefty reconstruction costs with only minimal government assistance—under $400.
The political climate compounds these challenges. Hezbollah’s ability to provide support is under strain, with the group facing pressure both from the Lebanese government and international entities. As the economy of Lebanon remains precarious, suffering from a severe financial crisis, many residents feel abandoned and hopeless. The catastrophic economic situation, characterized by a dramatic currency devaluation, has left many unable to access their savings or seek lives of normalcy.
Amid these tribulations, Ali encapsulates the despair felt by many: “Wars break your back. War is the most terrible thing in the world.” As displacements extend beyond a year, families continue to grapple with loss, displacement, and the haunting memories of violence that profoundly affect their efforts to recover and rebuild a semblance of their former lives. The lingering instability and uncertainty underline the pressing need for a sustainable resolution to the ongoing conflict in the region.
