Lebanese families mark Ramadan amid Israeli attacks, economic hardship

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Lebanese families mark Ramadan amid Israeli attacks, economic hardship

2026-02-22 16:43 Last Updated At：20:47

As Ramadan begins in Lebanon, families in the country's south are observing the holy month amid ongoing Israeli attacks and economic hardship.

In Nabatieh, residents insist on setting aside space for joy and celebration, even as destruction and the lack of a clear rebuilding plan weigh heavily on daily life. Their resilience reflects a determination to keep hope alive during the holy season.

Supporting this spirit, the Watawanou Association recently launched the Steadfastness of the Free campaign, providing vital food aid to more than 70,000 families across Lebanon, including towns and villages along the southern border.

"We know that the economic situation is very difficult in Lebanon in all regions, and therefore it has become very difficult for families to provide for their needs during the holy month of Ramadan. This campaign is primarily aimed at residents of border villages because we know the conditions they suffer daily due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on Lebanese territory," said Jamal Shuayb, a member from Watawanou Association.

Local residents, struggling to cope with constant threats that have surrounded them for years, summarized their situation by stressing that their foremost demand is security, safety, and an end to Israeli attacks.

"For us the war isn't over, we're still in it, and the economic situation is dire. We have no economy, no jobs, and no people [to buy or sell to], as you can see. The situation is not what it used to be. We hope that the situation will calm down, that security and safety will return, and that we will be able to live in peace as we did before, without losing a martyr every day," said a local resident.

"Gasoline prices and everything else have gone up. They from one side raised salaries, and on the other hand prices went up. May God help the poor," said another resident.

"The cost of living is high. We can only buy the bare minimum of our necessities. The situation is not good," said a resident.

ROK protests Japan's territorial claims to islets

The Republic of Korea (ROK) on Friday protested Japan's renewed territorial claims to the islets lying halfway between the two countries, called Dokdo by the ROK and Takeshima by Japan.

The foreign ministry said in a statement that the ROK government strongly protests Japan's reiteration of unjust territorial claims to Dokdo in the foreign policy speech, delivered by its foreign minister to the Diet.

The ministry called for an immediate withdrawal of such claims, making it clear that Japan's unjust claims will have no impact whatsoever on the ROK's sovereignty over Dokdo.

It reaffirmed that the ROK will firmly respond to any provocations by Japan, stressing that Japan should realize that the repeated unjust claims over Dokdo, which is clearly an integral part of the ROK's territory historically, geographically and under international law, will be in no way conducive to building a future-oriented relationship between Seoul and Tokyo.