Displaced residents in southern parts of the Lebanese capital Beirut say they remain fearful of returning to their homes due to the risk of potential Israeli attacks despite of the ongoing ceasefire.
The 10-day truce took effect at midnight Friday local time, following an earlier announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump, and aimed to end more than a month of deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed over 2,000 lives.
In Beirut, the densely populated suburban areas of Bir al-Abed and Haret Hreik in the south of the city were among the hardest-hit by the spate of Israeli attacks in recent weeks.
Footage shot by a China Central Television (CCTV) reporter on Monday showed the extent of damage in these districts, with the exposed facades of bombarded buildings and mounds of debris being strewn across the streets.
The fragile ceasefire has already shown signs of strain with the two sides accusing each other of violations amid reports of missiles being fired.
Israeli military drones continued to hover in the skies above these suburban neighborhoods in Beirut, generating loud noise and adding to the sense of unease among locals.
Some of those who had been displaced say they had come back to search for personal items buried among the ruins of their residences.
"I went home to clean the house and do some repairs. There was some broken glass in the room which cut my hand. Yes, it has been very difficult, but one can only truly feel at ease when they are in their own home," said Naamat Al-Ghoul, a displaced resident.
Controversy has also risen over the Israeli military's efforts to extend the territories it occupies in southern Lebanon as part of what it terms as 'security buffer zone' along the border. Lebanese residents have been warned against returning to their homes within this area, with Israel announcing that anyone who approaches this so-called "Yellow Line" will be considered a threat.
Given these issues, a Lebanese analyst said the ceasefire does hang in the balance but still believes both sides lack the incentive to turn this into a "full-scale war," as wider regional uncertainty remains.
"Israel is continuing to destroy parts of the land and is continuing to attack people in the south [of Lebanon]. Will this lead to the breaking of the ceasefire? We will have to test it. There is a possibility for this. But for me, I think that neither Hezbollah nor Israel want to go towards a full-scale war like it was. They will try to limit it, while keeping a certain amount of military [action] between the two parties," said Mohamad Hasan Sweidan, the analyst.
Displaced Beirut residents fearful of returning home despite ceasefire
Displaced Beirut residents fearful of returning home despite ceasefire
