 "People in Lebanon cross a crater caused by an Israeli strike in the area of Masnaa on the Lebanese side of the border crossing with Syria, on November 20. AFP")
The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal has already started showing signs of stability as restorers on Wednesday started reconstructing a road in Lebanon that leads to its main border crossing with Syria.
The road, Masnaa border, was left heavily damaged by Israeli shelling last month, rendering it unserviceable. It is located on the Beirut-Damascus International Highway in the Beqaa Valley and serves as the primary route for thousands of people trying to flee the war into Syria.
According to the United Nations estimates, more than half a million people have been displaced from Lebanon to Syria in the past two months of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
A report by state-run news agency NNA says Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport was set to visit the site on Wednesday to oversee restoration efforts on the road leading to the crossing.
Meanwhile, thousands of Lebanese displaced by the war Thousands of Lebanese displaced by the war began the journey back home as a ceasefire took hold on Wednesday, with many celebrating an end to the deadly fighting.
The truce brings to a halt a war that has killed thousands in Lebanon and resulted in mass displacement on both sides of the border.
Traffic on the road from the Lebanese capital to the main southern city of Sidon was congested since the early hours, as thousands of people headed back to their homes.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAFP journalists saw cars and minibuses packed with people carrying mattresses, suitcases and blankets heading south, with some honking and singing in celebration as Hezbollah supporters portrayed the truce as a victory.
“What we feel is indescribable,” said one Lebanese driver on the road to the south. “The people have won!”
With inputs from AFP