Uncertainty, danger linger in Khiam after Lebanon’s ceasefire

Mohammad Mohammad Abdullah left his hometown of Khiam in southern Lebanon at the end of 2023, when Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon became common.

He and his family sought refuge in Nabatieh before relocating further north to Beirut in September 2024, when Israel began to conduct dozens of attacks per day. Throughout, his heart and mind remained tied to his beloved village.

"I went alone on the first day of the ceasefire to check on the house," Abdullah told Mada Masr. "I knew I couldn’t enter because the Lebanese army warned us that the Israelis might have rigged houses with explosives."

Looking from a distance, Abdullah could assess the damage: shattered windows, broken glass and blown-apart doors.

"Thank God the house is still standing, because all the airstrikes hit the surrounding houses," he says.

But Abdullah and the rest of Khiam’s residents are still unable to start repairs and rebuilding, leaving them in limbo as they wait to regain any semblance of their lives before the war. 

Why? Over half way through the 60 days defined in the ceasefire agreement for Israeli forces to withdraw from south Lebanon, Khiam remains one of the only places handed over to the Lebanese military. And even in Khiam, Israeli forces retain a presence in the town and have continued operations that make returning home a lethal endeavor.

Khiam was the first site to be handed over to the Lebanese military under the parameters of the ceasefire agreement. Israeli troops began a withdrawal on December 9, informing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that they could advance, with UNIFIL in turn inviting the Lebanese military to pursue them, according to a Lebanese military source who was present in the area at the time and who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity.

As journalists entered the town, the extent of the damage became clear. Around 80 percent of Khiam's infrastructure was destroyed, with the damage wrought by airstrikes worsened by the demolitions and bulldozing which Israeli forces continued to pursue for days after the ceasefire.

The ruins weren’t the only relic of Israel’s presence in the town. According to Abdullah and two Lebanese security sources, Israeli forces remain stationed on Tal al-Hamamis, the highest point in Khiam, which overlooks the Israeli settlement of Metula, south of the Blue Line. The two security sources describe the Tal al-Hamamis outpost as substantial, visible from the lower ground and comprising several Merkava tanks and at least 20 soldiers.

Israel has also continued aerial attacks in the area. On December 12, a drone killed civilian Mostafa Ali Awada in the town center and injured others, even as Lebanon’s military was deploying to the site.

Abdullah expresses frustration that Israel’s incomplete withdrawal means residents can’t take possession of their town and the surrounding villages. "The search teams can't even go in to look for the bodies of the martyrs still trapped beneath the rubble," he says. “A lot of blood was spilled and many martyrs were sacrificed for this land.”

These dangers, however, did not stop Abdullah and other displaced residents from being present when the Lebanese military was first deployed in their town. For him, it was a moment of deep significance that he wanted to witness firsthand.

“It was a beautiful moment, but it also served as a reminder of a bittersweet reality,” he said. “This came at the high cost of many martyrs. And even then, we knew we couldn’t enter the village because the army made it clear — it was for our own safety that they wouldn’t let us in.”

Israel hasn’t stated why it has left an outpost in Khiam, though the city has a long history in resisting attempted invasion. “The Israelis have repeatedly tried to seize control of Khiam over the years,” Abdullah explained. “They displaced its residents in the 1970s, during the 2006 war and now again in 2024. But the town always resists their attempts.”

In the latest war, it was in the final weeks of Israel’s attempted invasion of Lebanon that it focused its offensive on Khiam. Despite intense bombing and over the course of 14 days of fighting, Hezbollah managed to repel Israeli forces' attempt to advance.

Abdullah believes this history of defiance fuels Israel's determination to control and destroy Khiam as a form of retaliation. 

Beyond the symbolism, Abdullah notes that Khiam offers views of northern Palestine, the Golan Heights, the Shebaa Farms and parts of the Beqaa Valley. Security analyst and Brigadier General Andre Boumasher likewise stated during the war that the site represents a crucial logistical link between south Lebanon and the Beqaa, with a major road running from Khiam all the way to the Masnaa crossing into Syria.

Although Hezbollah has launched only a single rocket toward Israeli-held territory since the ceasefire came into force, which it said was in retaliation for the tens of violations that Israel had already perpetrated at the time, the latter has claimed that it is retaining a presence in Lebanon for its own national security.

In its meetings with the five-way committee overseeing the execution of the ceasefire, one Lebanese military source informed of the content of the meetings told Mada Masr that Israel has expressed that it does not want to withdraw from either Khiam or Adeisseh, a village on the border a few kilometers west of Khiam.

The lack of certainty leaves Khiam’s former residents, including Mostafa Fadel Dakheel Shuaib, without a clear path forward. Still taking shelter in Saida and having lost all his properties, including his home generator, tractor and household belongings, he finds himself with no home to return to. His two-story residential building was completely destroyed. Now, he waits anxiously for the reconstruction process to begin.

Hezbollah and the Southern Council have committed to providing residents with support to rebuild their homes in Khiam. But residents of south Lebanon who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity said that Hezbollah, which has conducted surveys to compensate property owners in cities like Nabatieh, is yet to do so for Khiam and other border towns and villages where Israeli forces are still present.

The Lebanese government, meanwhile, has also committed to rebuilding, although the military so far has been able to do little more than remove rubble, as the destruction of facilities providing basic necessities such as electricity and water is set to take more time to restore.

In the meantime, residents can only wait for updates or news signaling the reconstruction of their town, homes and businesses while continuing to grapple with the toll the war has taken on them.

Abdullah remains hopeful. "People will endure; they always do. It’ll take time, but eventually, things will get better," he says. “It’s in our blood to resist, rebuild and stand firm."

Though social initiatives from the Khiam diaspora have provided some relief through aid distribution, Abdullah stresses that this is not enough.

"People need to get back to work to rebuild their lives, and for that to happen, we need a clear plan from the government for reconstruction,” he says.

He anticipates a long road ahead, estimating that it could take at least three years for things to return to normal or for Khiam to be rebuilt to its former state.

"We hope that the government will fulfill its promises for rebuilding, but our focus is on the bigger picture, not just financial compensation," he said. "Israel has always attacked our homes, killed our children and had ambitions to take our land. This is an enemy that cannot change, no matter what happens."