Lebanese Civilians Return to Rubble as Ceasefire Holds.

A man waves a Lebanese flag as he stands amidst the rubble of a building destroyed in Israeli strikes, after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect, in Tyre, Lebanon. Courtesy image.

Thousands of Lebanese civilians are returning to their homes to find them reduced to rubble, as a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah appears to be holding. The ceasefire, which came into effect at 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT), marks the end of 13 months of devastating conflict.

In Dahieh, a neighborhood in southern Beirut, residents are grappling with the destruction. “My family spent their lifetime building this. We lived here for 25 years and now it is all gone,” one resident told the BBC, standing amid the wreckage of what was once their home.

The ceasefire follows nearly two months of intense Israeli ground operations in Lebanon, launched in response to nearly a year of rocket attacks by Hezbollah. The fighting left swathes of Lebanon, including major residential areas, heavily damaged, displacing countless families.

Limited Impact on Gaza Conflict

Despite the truce in Lebanon, the ceasefire does not extend to the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Hamas, however, has expressed readiness for a potential ceasefire, welcoming the developments in Lebanon as a positive precedent.

Meanwhile, the political and legal dimensions of the conflict continue to unfold. Israel has announced its intention to appeal the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a former defense minister. The warrants relate to alleged war crimes committed in Gaza, adding further complexity to the regional crisis.

A Fragile Calm

As the ceasefire holds, the focus turns to the daunting task of rebuilding shattered communities in Lebanon. With homes destroyed and infrastructure in ruins, civilians face an uncertain future, even as a fragile calm settles over the region. The prospect of peace remains tenuous, with the scars of war deeply etched into the lives of those who have endured the violence.

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