
The Displaced People of Southern Lebanon Bear Continuous Losses
Katia Kahil 27/01 21:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Hezbollah Israel South Lebanon
Kfar Kila, Odaisseh, Taybeh, Mays al-Jabal and Wazzani were once renowned for their lush fields filled with fruit trees, their majestic hills and the streams that enlivened the area with their soft murmurs. Life there was simple, with days unfolding peacefully to the rhythm of family rituals and traditions. Then came the war. It was the beginning ...

President Joseph Aoun’s Deep Connection to Southern Border Villages
Katia Kahil 11/01 16:40 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Joseph Aoun Lebanese Army South Lebanon celebration
Following the ceasefire and the deployment of the Lebanese Army in border villages, President Joseph Aoun was the first to visit Marjayoun, Klayaa and Khiam on December 23, 2024. At the time, he was still serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and was accompanied by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. He is especially familiar with the ...

Christmas in South Lebanon: A Breath of Life, a Hint of Melancholy
Katia Kahil 2024-12-24 11:03 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
We’ve all lost something, but we’ve also learned to help one another. It’s important to keep the Christmas spirit alive, even if it’s challenging under the current circumstances. We need to show that we’re rooted here, that we haven’t given up hope,” says Paul, a shop owner in Marjeyoun, as he carefully ...

The Army in Khiam: The First Step Toward a Full Return
Katia Kahil 2024-12-12 22:11 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Khiam Israel Lebanese army Ceasefire
On the night of Tuesday, December 10, a powerful explosion rocked the Marjayoun region, leaving residents in uncertainty as its cause remained unclear. By morning, it appeared that a family had attempted to discreetly return to their home in Khiam, defying Israeli army restrictions on approaching its positions along the border. Shortly after the ...

A Bitter, Anxious and Determined Return to the Devastated Border Region
Katia Kahil 2024-11-27 20:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hezbollah Israel Lebanese Army ceasefire displaced
Barely had the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel taken effect at 4 AM on Wednesday that thousands of displaced Lebanese set out, eager — or hoping — to return to their homes. The wait had been extremely long, and the impatience palpable. On the road home, a blend of anxiety, anticipation and hope hung in the air. What would they find upon ...

In Deir Mimas, Fear Has Not Killed Hope
Katia Kahil 2024-11-23 15:25 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Every day, Maha lights a candle to the Virgin Mary. On November 22, the 81st anniversary of Independence Day, she performed the same ritual—but this time, with a heavier heart. The Israeli army had just taken up positions in her village, Deir Mimas, located about seven kilometers from the southern border in the Marjayoun district. The village is ...

Rampant Looting in Marjayoun Adds to the Suffering of Its Displaced Inhabitants
Katia Kahil 2024-11-16 11:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Hezbollah Israel South Lebanon Marjayoun
In the South Lebanon town of Marjayoun, most homes have shuttered their windows, and shops have rolled down their metal gates. Cars rarely pass through what has become a ghost town. The majority of its 15,000 residents have fled the bombings that have extended to residential areas and neighborhoods on the outskirts or within the town. However, ...

A Sad Season for Olive Harvest in the Border Zone
Katia Kahil 2024-11-05 10:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
A viral video by Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-speaking spokesperson for the Israeli army, is astonishing. He claims that Lebanese farmers have crossed the border to participate in the olive harvest in Israel, even calling it “a sign of brotherhood,” while those farmers can’t even access their own lands. It seems surreal, especially since a few ...

Hasbaya: A Haven for Thousands of Displaced People
Katia Kahil 2024-10-19 19:10 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Lebanese Red Cross South Lebanon United Nations USA
On September 23, the situation in Southern Lebanon, marked by artillery exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah since October 8, 2023, took a significant turn after an escalation declared by Tel Aviv. An urgent phone call from Israeli authorities sent shockwaves through Marjayoun and neighboring villages (Ebel Saqi, Khiam, Kfarchouba, Shebaa, ...

Qlayaa, Rmeish, and Marjayoun Inhabitants: Die with Dignity Rather than Live in the Street
Katia Kahil 2024-10-06 20:00 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
south Lebanon marjeyoun Rmeish Klayaa bombardment israel
Despite feelings of abandonment, fear, and concern, the residents of three southern Lebanon border villages — Qlayaa, Rmeish, and Marjayoun — are determined not to leave. They cling to the hope that the war raging around them will not reach their communities, where Hezbollah has no active presence. The exodus of residents from southern ...

Christmas in South Lebanon: A Glimmer of Enduring Hope
Katia Kahil 2023-12-24 11:22 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The residents of southern Lebanon are gearing up for an unusual Christmas, given the difficult times that the region is going through. Yet, in this land that bore witness to the passage of Christ, hope remains. While it’s true that this holiday season may be particularly somber, there are still small things, small gestures, that persist in ...