A sea of cars and mini-busses, proudly draped in Hezbollah and Lebanese flags, flowed down the highway to south Lebanon on Monday morning, with high-volume resistance songs blaring from speakers.
Men, women, and children lined the streets, distributing sweets and celebrating the long-awaited return and liberation of the south, a day after the 60-day truce and withdrawal date for the occupation ended, Press TV reported.
Meanwhile, the White House announced an extension of the ceasefire agreement to February 18, amid a sluggish Israeli withdrawal and escalating border tensions.
Yet, the Lebanese people remain steadfast, their determination unwavering in their march homeward, despite at least 25 people being martyred by the Israeli military on Sunday on their way home.
On Monday morning, caretaker Lebanese Labor Minister Mustafa Bayram made it emphatically clear: the ceasefire extension does not equate to tolerating an Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil.
At 6 a.m. local time, Ahlam and her family set out, reaching the entrance of their village, Aitaroun. By 1:30 p.m., they were still waiting. Israeli forces had barricaded the entrance with towering sand barriers.
Like Ahlam, many others remain stranded on the outskirts of Aitaroun and nearby villages, their patience tested but their resolve unshaken.
Mayors of these towns said they received ominous phone calls from unidentified individuals claiming to be Israelis, warning them against allowing civilians to return to their homes along the border with occupied Palestine.
MNA
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