In Lebanon's ruined Nabatieh, residents cling to a fragile ceasefire

Once a bustling city of 100,000 in southern Lebanon, Nabatieh now lies largely in ruins after Israeli bombardment, yet some residents have refused to leave even as fighting continues.

Alaa Dahnoun, 12, who said she survived an Israeli strike that forced her to flee with her parents to Beirut, looks out through her apartment's damaged window after returning home following a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Nabatieh, Lebanon, April 18, 2026.

REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Dr. Yousif Shahin, a professor at the Lebanese University, is one of the few who stayed when bombs were falling. His family fled to Beirut on the first day of the war and has called him daily since, urging him to join them.

"I was raised here, my heart is here. For us this is holy land", he said.

Even under the current ceasefire, daily life in the city is a struggle. Nearly all shops and market stalls are closed. Municipal authorities distribute bread, vegetables and milk sourced from nearby farms where some residents remain.

On April 10, an Israeli strike hit the city hall, killing 19 people, including 13 state security personnel.

"These people were not Hezbollah fighters — they worked for the Lebanese government, with which Israel is supposedly not at war. So why were they targeted?" Shahin said.

Lebanon's Health Ministry says nearly 2,500 people have been killed and almost 8,000 wounded since early March.

The ceasefire has proven fragile and is frequently violated. Israeli media reported it may not hold even until Monday, April 27, the date originally envisioned for its extension. At peace talks in Washington on Wednesday, the Lebanese government was expected to request a one-month extension of the truce.

IAR/mrc/jh