A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is now in force, but many residents of Israel’s northern communities refuse to return home, while those who have remained say the deal is unlikely to bring permanent peace.
Reporters visited the border town of Shtula on Wednesday just hours after the ceasefire took effect. The frontline community is just a few hundred feet away from the Lebanese border and was once home to some 300 residents, many of whom fled after the war began last year.
Hours into the ceasefire, Shtula remained a ghost town, with only a handful of residents living there. While in the town, a few blasts resembling outgoing artillery could be heard nearby. At one point, bursts of small arms fire in the distance were also reported.
The town is one of the most dangerous places in northern Israel, having faced the threat of Hezbollah’s anti-tank missiles for months. Residents worry that the threat will persist beyond a ceasefire.
Ora Hatan, who remained in her home in Shtula, said the morning of the ceasefire deal was “unusual” after months of relentless artillery fire. “We wake up to the quiet morning. After one year, it’s unusual,” Hatan shared. “It’s peaceful; we’re not woken by the bombing and running to the shelters.”
Hatan’s fears have not, however, subsided with the ceasefire deal. “I don’t know how long it will hold – this agreement,” she expressed. “Nobody knows.”
