“I love my village,” Wansa Mohammed Nassar says, smiling. The 80-year-old is sitting on a couch surrounded by plants in small pots,and three cats. Her grandson is beside her. They once had 14 cats, but those whent missing during the war. The family thoght they were fleeing for a day and were gone more than a year. Nassar only returned to Ayta al-Shaab three months ago.
“I feel like a newborn,” she says. “I don’t know how long I will live. I love my country … We just need peace and quiet from Israel …Two years we are suffering from them.”
Her house is a rare functional one in a landscape of rubble. Once home to as many as 16,000 residents, locals say, Ayta al-Shaab is almost fully destroyed. it is not alone.Lebanese towns and villages along the border with Israel have been described as “wastelands” and “ghost towns”.
About 85 percent of buildings in Odaisseh are totally destroyed and 15 per cent are partially destroyed, a municipality advisor said.
Wansa Mohammed Nassar (80) has moved back to Ayta al-Shaab,close to Lebanon’s border with Israel.
By Sally Hayden
Lebanon’s ‘One-Sided’ Ceasefire: A Year of Loss and Rising Tensions
Table of Contents
The ceasefire that came into force on November 27th, 2024, is referred to as “one-sided” by many Lebanese citizens. By the beginning of November 2025, Unifil recorded almost 7,100 Israeli air violations of UN resolution 1701, which was intended to bring an end to the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
More than 270 people have been killed and about 850 wounded by Israeli actions as the ceasefire, according to Lebanon’s ministry of health. The vast majority of these casualties have been civilians. The attacks,often carried out by drone strikes,have targeted infrastructure,homes,and agricultural land across southern Lebanon.
“It’s not a ceasefire for us,” says Ali, a farmer from the village of Tair Filsay, which has been repeatedly targeted. “They are still killing us, destroying our livelihoods. What kind of ceasefire is this?”
The escalating violence has displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes,exacerbating an already dire economic and humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. Many have sought refuge in overcrowded shelters or with relatives in safer areas, while others have been forced to abandon their villages altogether.
The situation is further complex by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Hezbollah has repeatedly stated that its attacks on Israel are in solidarity with Palestinians, while Israel insists it is responding to Hezbollah’s aggression.
However, many observers believe that Israel is using the situation in Gaza as a pretext to escalate its attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, with the aim of weakening the group and preventing it from posing a future threat.
“Israel is taking advantage of the international focus on Gaza to pursue its own agenda in Lebanon,” says a Lebanese security analyst, who asked not to be named. “They are testing Hezbollah’s limits and trying to create a new security reality in the south.”
The risk of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah remains high. Despite international efforts to mediate a lasting ceasefire, the two sides remain far apart. The “one-sided” nature of the current ceasefire, coupled with the escalating violence and the ongoing conflict in Gaza, is creating a volatile and risky situation in lebanon.
Life Under the Drones: How Israel’s Surveillance is Reshaping South Lebanon
Odaisseh and Blida, Lebanon – The hills around the southern Lebanese villages of Odaisseh and Blida are no longer quiet places.While there has been no full-scale Israeli ground invasion since 2006, a different kind of incursion is taking place – a constant, pervasive surveillance that is reshaping daily life.
The Irish Times reports that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) activity has increased significantly in recent months, establishing positions on hills overlooking these villages. While the IDF maintains this isn’t a ceasefire violation, justifying it as a measure to “protect [Israeli] residents of the north,” locals see it as a intentional attempt to control the area.
“They seized it with the aim of maintaining surveillance over the area,” a resident of Odaisseh explained, pointing to one of the newly occupied hills.
This surveillance isn’t limited to observation posts. Drones are a constant presence,their hum audible during visits to both villages. Journalists travelling in the area are advised to display “Press” signs on their vehicles to ensure they are visible to the drones.
Analysts have termed this situation a “remote occupation.” According to a recent report by the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, Israel is exerting complete control over life in southern Lebanon through “24/7 surveillance, drones, fighter jets, cyber-espionage, intelligence assets on the ground… The threat of death by drone strike or through a mass bombardment is permanent.”
Dany moudallal, a journalist with Lebanese newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour, described the situation as “dystopian” in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter).
The impact is felt acutely by medical professionals.Dr Hassan Wazni, the general director of the Nabih Berri governmental hospital in Nabatieh, states that “the rules of war are not being respected any more.” The constant threat and the nature of modern warfare are creating a climate of fear and uncertainty for the residents of southern Lebanon.
“There’s no commitment…”: Life among the ruins of Odaisseh
Hassan Rammal describes Odaisseh as “full of life” before the war. “It was a really lovely place, a commercial place, everything you needed was available,” says the 61-year-old. “Everybody knows each other. We spent a lot of money on our houses.” About 8,000 residents once lived there: now 85 per cent of homes are totally destroyed and 15 per cent partially destroyed, says Rammal, who works with the local municipality.
He is sitting in the remains of the building that once held his supermarket and money-exchange business, with apartments on the upper stories that he rented out.It was originally built with money he earned working in the United Arab Emirates for nearly three decades. His own home, out the back, is rubble. Rammal stays elsewhere now, only coming back for short visits.
“People thought it would be like the 2006 war: [after the ceasefire] we could come back to our houses. But there’s no commitment … [The Israeli forces] don’t want anyone to live in this
Air strikes continue. As we sit there, a new evacuation warning is issued online by the Israeli military for the next village, Taybeh, just three kilometres away. Most Israeli air strikes and attacks come with no warning. A few locals drive around the village sharing the news while questioning if it is indeed real, given that interaction networks are mostly nonfunctional, so few have internet access. One woman, who has tried to move home, starts panicking, packing a suitcase and gathering perishable food, preparing to leave again.
‘May your village burn’
A destroyed mosque in the Lebanese village of Ayta al-Shaab. Photograph: Sally Hayden
An analysis of satellite imagery and social media by Amnesty International in Ayta al-Shaab found that the Israeli military laid explosives and bulldozed parts of the village while in control of it too, with destruction “far exceed[ing] the locations where it alleged military objectives were present”.
A social media video published on an Israeli soldier’s social media account in October 2024 showed troops singing “may your village burn” while excavators tore down buildings.
“You feel like you’re walking in Gaza, not Lebanon,” says a local woman.A pink slipper is visible i
Life Under Surveillance: Palestinian Family’s Plea for help from a Besieged Village
A Palestinian family in an unnamed village is enduring a life of constant surveillance and hardship, hoping for assistance from the international community. The family, featured in a recent report, describes a daily existence overshadowed by drones and limited access to resources, impacting their ability to rebuild and maintain their livelihoods. They are appealing for help, expressing a sense of helplessness and fear.
Daily Life Under Observation
the family, including 86-year-old Noor Abbas, is currently residing in a room within their village, sharing meals of customary dishes like mujaddara (rice, lentils, and onions). Abbas recounts an initial period of fear, now replaced by resignation. “We cannot do anything,” she stated, highlighting the feeling of powerlessness felt by residents. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/23/gaza-village-palestinians-drone-surveillance-fear
Awada, a member of the family, has attempted to establish a small convenience shop “for fun, to pass time,” but reports a lack of customers. The village is largely isolated, with few visitors even for funerals, and those who do come frequently enough express fear. This isolation exacerbates the economic hardship faced by the community.
Economic Hardship and Agricultural Challenges
The family, like many in the village, relies on agriculture, specifically tobacco farming, as a source of income. However, their work is constantly disrupted by drone surveillance.They plead for international intervention,stating,”We can’t make any [new] construction here. They always send the drone above, watching us. We’re farmers of tobacco, always they bother us with the drone. Can you send our voice for help?”
This constant monitoring hinders their ability to rebuild infrastructure and cultivate their land, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and dependence. The situation is particularly dire given the ongoing conflict in the region and the broader economic challenges facing Palestinians.
the Broader context: Israeli Surveillance in the Occupied Territories
The family’s experience reflects a wider pattern of surveillance in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel employs a variety of surveillance technologies,including drones,cameras,and intelligence gathering,citing security concerns. However, human rights organizations argue that this surveillance infringes upon the privacy and freedom of movement of Palestinians. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/07/israel-palestine-digital-surveillance-threatens-rights
Critics contend that the extensive surveillance system contributes to the ongoing occupation and hinders the development of a viable Palestinian state. The use of drones, in particular, raises concerns about potential abuses and the psychological impact on the civilian population.
Key Takeaways
* Palestinian families are living under constant drone surveillance, impacting their daily lives and livelihoods.
* Economic hardship is widespread, with limited opportunities for income generation.
* agricultural activities are disrupted by surveillance, hindering the ability to rebuild and sustain communities.
* The situation highlights broader concerns about privacy, freedom of movement, and the impact of surveillance technologies in the occupied Palestinian territories.
This family’s plea for help underscores the urgent need for international attention and assistance to address the challenges faced by Palestinians living under occupation. The situation demands a comprehensive approach that prioritizes human rights, economic development, and a just resolution to the ongoing conflict.