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Lebanese civilians are ‘praying for a ceasefire’

Israel has ‘shattered the illusion’ of Hezbollah as a resistance organization capable of defeating its enemies. 

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Despite Hezbollah’s aggressive rhetoric, many Lebanese civilians are hoping for a ceasefire and dread a full-scale war with Israel that could further devastate the country.

a Lebanese woman from the Keserwan district told Israel Hayom, “We’re praying for a ceasefire. The American and French mediators working towards a ceasefire have been utterly disappointing.”

She added that she and many Lebanese hope that Hezbollah will cease launching missiles against Israel in solidarity with Hamas as they have been since October 8th.

The nearly year-long conflict between Lebanon and Israel, initiated when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israeli territory after the October 7th massacre, has led to a refugee crisis affecting both Lebanon and Syria.

The woman explained, “Nobody is taking in refugees from the south except for Tripoli. Many have fled to Syria. In Christian areas, rents have skyrocketed. There are virtually no apartments available in my area. I’ve had to turn down over ten rental requests; we can’t rent to strangers. I’ve heard that one town has converted a school into a shelter for the displaced.”

According to the Saudi news channel Al-Hadath, 23,000 people have crossed the border into Syria, including 10,000 Syrians who sought refuge in Lebanon during the country’s civil war.

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In addition to displacement, these refugees are vulnerable to kidnapping and robbery by gangs exploiting the conflict for financial gain.

In total, it’s estimated that 500,000 Lebanese are being displaced by a conflict that began when Hezbollah fired at Israel 11 months ago, and a full-scale war could make the situation worse.

Lebanese researcher Joumana Gebara told Israel HaYom that Hezbollah has lost a lot of its former clout and influence with the Lebanese public.

“The organization has suffered both moral and physical damage, with the moral blow being particularly severe,” he said.

Gerbara explained that Hezbollah has touted itself as a “resistance organization” capable of fighting off all enemies, but “Israel has shattered that illusion.”