ICRC Video News Footage
Beirut (ICRC) — As life slowly returns to cities and villages in Southern Lebanon following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement, many residents have found their homes severely damaged or destroyed.
“Hundreds of thousands of people have begun returning to their places of origin in the south to find significant destruction,” said Shady Ramadan, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sub-delegation in Tyre.
Tyre, a vibrant coastal city of 50,000 residents, is renowned for its resorts and archeological sites. However, the recent hostilities left its streets eerily deserted. Now, life is returning, with people and cars filling the once-empty streets.
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Despite this semblance of normalcy, many residents who fled during the fighting found no homes to return to. Those fortunate to have a roof over their heads face a daily struggle without basic utilities like water and electricity.
“My house is damaged and uninhabitable. I want to return here, but we lack electricity, water, and necessities. It feels like the house, once fully furnished, now has nothing,” said Kifah Awad, a mother of three, standing inside her bedroom where a gaping hole has replaced the wall.
In addition to the destruction, residents face another grave danger: unexploded weapons. Many sift through rubble to salvage belongings, unaware of the lurking threats.
“We need to provide them with safer behaviour guidance, and raise awareness about the risks, especially regarding unexploded ordnance. We’ve witnessed the recovery of large bombs that failed to detonate during the conflict, posing significant threats to lives,” said Lee Hughes, an ICRC weapon contamination specialist.
Even with the ceasefire in place, the humanitarian needs of the local population remain immense. Many have lost everything and are struggling to rebuild their lives.
“As the ICRC, we are doing our best to address these needs, whether by rehabilitating infrastructure or supporting the livelihoods of those who have lost their means of income,” added Ramadan.
About the ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.
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