The recent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has offered a glimmer of hope for northern Israeli cities bordering Lebanon to return to normal life, according to officials.
Israel and Hezbollah ended their nearly 14-month-long conflict as a ceasefire agreement went into effect on Nov 27.
The truce is a good news to border regions including Israel's northernmost city Kiryat Shmona. The city, which lies in the valley with the Lebanon border up on the hill, suffered more than any other city in all of Israel's conflicts with its northern neighbor.
City officials expressed hope that the ceasefire would pave the way for a return to normalcy, with residents resuming their daily lives and businesses reopening.
"A lot of people start coming back. Businesses start to open again. I know that as long as the ceasefire will continue, we are starting to plan the coming back of all the city," said Ofir Yehezkeli, the deputy mayor of Kiryat Shmona.
The road to recovery is long and arduous. Tens of homes in Kiryat Shmona were directly hit by Hezbollah rockets, leaving significant damage and displacement. The city faces a massive rebuilding effort, particularly in the housing sector.
"They will get rent salary from the government and they can rent or if they want, stay in hotels for a few months until they recover their houses," said Yehezkeli.
However, concerns remain about how long the ceasefire can hold, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire agreement and vowed a "forceful response" after the group launched two mortars near the border earlier in the day.
Hezbollah, which claimed responsibility for the attack, said it targeted Israeli military posts in the contested area known as Mount Dov in Israel and Shebaa Farms in Lebanon. The group described the fire as a "warning defensive response" to what it called "repeated Israeli violations" of the ceasefire.
Ceasefire brings hope for normalcy to northern Israeli city
