DistantNews
Support us
400,000 Lebanese Return Home Amid Lingering Fear
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Conflict & Security

400,000 Lebanese Return Home Amid Lingering Fear

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Around 400,000 Lebanese residents have returned to their homes in the south, with more expected as the conflict with Hezbollah subsides.
  • Many returnees find their homes destroyed or unsafe, and the Minister of Social Affairs notes a significant gap between those who can return and those who cannot.
  • The government estimates billions of dollars are needed for reconstruction, but Lebanon lacks sufficient financial resources.

Approximately 400,000 Lebanese residents have returned to their homes in the southern part of the country, despite lingering fear from a four-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. An additional number are expected to return in the coming week as the intensity of the conflict decreases.

These families at least still have a home to return to, even if only with minimum basic facilities. The reality is, some still cannot return, indicating they face a much more difficult situation.

— Hanine El SayedDescribing the varying degrees of difficulty faced by Lebanese residents returning to their homes after the conflict.

However, Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Hanine El Sayed stated that many are still unable to return because their homes are destroyed or no longer safe. Since March, about one million residents were displaced, with many housed in shelters or temporary settlements. El Sayed noted that around 40% of those displaced have returned to their cities and villages, and the number of people in shelters has dropped significantly.

El Sayed emphasized that the return figures do not reflect the true situation, as a substantial gap remains between those who have managed to return and those who are still homeless. "These families at least still have a home to return to, even if only with minimum basic facilities. The reality is, some still cannot return, indicating they face a much more difficult situation," she told Reuters. "In about a week, we will know the real scale of the problem, which is how many cannot return at all because their homes are completely destroyed."

In about a week, we will know the real scale of the problem, which is how many cannot return at all because their homes are completely destroyed.

— Hanine El SayedHighlighting the uncertainty and the potential severity of the housing crisis for displaced Lebanese.

For many returnees, life is far from normal. Their homes are damaged, electricity and water supplies are limited, and businesses and income sources are destroyed. The government estimates that Lebanon needs billions of dollars for reconstruction, but the country currently lacks adequate financial resources. Nearly 90,000 homes have been partially or fully destroyed by the recent conflict, adding to extensive damage from previous clashes.

Many residents in southern Lebanon have very strong ties to their land and certainly want to return to claim their rights to that land.

— Hanine El SayedExplaining the deep connection Lebanese residents have with their homeland, motivating their return.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog