Israeli media: Lebanese and Palestinians return, defying IOF
4 Min Read
Despite ongoing threats and Israeli violations, the resilient people of southern Lebanon and Gaza heroically return to their homes, marking a powerful defiance of occupation and reclaiming their homeland.
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A collage of two photos showing Palestinians returning to the north of Gaza and Lebanese people returning to their villages despite Israeli threats. (Al Mayadeen)
Israeli media's first reaction to the return of southern Lebanon’s residents to their hometowns after the expiration of the 60-day deadline for the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and "Israel"—an agreement repeatedly violated by the Israeli occupation—came from military analyst Amit Segal.
Speaking to Channel 12, Segal described the return as a "volatile morning," highlighting the tense and defiant atmosphere as Lebanese citizens bravely reclaimed their homes.
Segal remarked, "It’s a volatile morning on two fronts: In southern Lebanon, hundreds of Hezbollah supporters are making their way to their villages, undeterred by the Israeli army’s warnings to stay away," adding, "Meanwhile, in the northern Gaza Strip, thousands of Gaza residents and Hamas supporters are heading to Gaza City, despite the Israeli military’s instruction to avoid the area for now."
Since the early hours of the morning, #Lebanese southerners gathered to enter their villages after months of displacement.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 26, 2025
The joy and happiness are seen on their faces as they prepared to go back to their homes, livelihoods, and land. pic.twitter.com/u5QyZuEcCv
An Israeli media platform also highlighted unprecedented scenes, including Lebanese people holding images of former Hezbollah Secretary-General, martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah near an Israeli army tank.
من أمام دبابة الميركافا في بلدة #يارون #جنوب_لبنان.. "لبيك يا نصرالله".@AlMayadeenNews #الميادين_لبنان #لبنان_ما_بعد_الستين#لبنان pic.twitter.com/XaIRObzB5J
— الميادين لبنان (@mayadeenlebanon) January 26, 2025
Thousands of Southerners gathered at the entrances to their villages, preparing to enter after the 60-day deadline expired. The Israeli invading units responded by firing machine gun bursts and shells at civilians walking toward the towns of Houla and Mays al-Jabal, resulting in one martyr and nine injuries among the residents of Kafr Kila and Aitaroun.
According to the latest toll from the Lebanese Health Ministry, "Israel" has killed 4 Lebanese people and injured at least 31 others.
Lebanese civilians confront Israeli tank at point-blank range
The Israeli TV channel Kan expressed deep dismay, highlighting the alarming sight of Lebanese civilians approaching an Israeli tank at point-blank range in the town of Maroun al-Ras, situated on the Lebanese border with occupied Palestine. An Israeli officer in southern Lebanon described this as "a zero-distance confrontation between Israeli soldiers and Lebanese civilians," condemning the situation as "unacceptable."
Israeli media has raised concerns over the fact that Israeli settlers have not returned to settlements along the Lebanese border, starkly contrasting with the determination of the Lebanese people. As they return to their homes, the Lebanese are crafting a powerful narrative of resilience and defiance, transforming their return into a symbolic morale victory against oppression. Despite facing continuous threats and violations, their unwavering commitment to reclaiming their land and dignity serves as a testament to their strength and resolve.
These developments unfolded as the 60-day deadline for the full Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement, expired today, Sunday.
Despite the failure to adhere to the withdrawal and ongoing violations in southern villages, "Israel"—under US backing—confirmed through Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office that its forces would not fully withdraw from southern Lebanon after the expiration of the deadline.
Hezbollah responded late Thursday, declaring that "any violation of the 60-day deadline is a blatant breach of the agreement and an escalation of the assault on Lebanese sovereignty." The Resistance movement emphasized that the Israeli occupation had entered a new phase that should be confronted by the Lebanese state using all available methods guaranteed by international law to reclaim and liberate the land.
On Saturday night, the Lebanese Army Command urged southern Lebanese to avoid approaching the southern border due to the presence of mines and suspicious objects left by the Israeli enemy. They stressed the importance of following the army's instructions to preserve citizens' safety.
Resilient Gazans return home defying IOF
Meanwhile, on the Gaza front, one martyr was reported and several others injured on Saturday due to gunfire from Israeli invading units, according to Al Mayadeen's correspondent.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian evacuees at the final accessible points along Salah al-Din Street (east Gaza) and al-Rasheed Street (west Gaza), even after the ceasefire announcement, intensifying the brutality against fleeing civilians.
طوفان بشري من الأهالي يتأهب للعودة إلى مناطق شمال قطاع #غزة. #الميادين #غزة_تهزم_الإبادة pic.twitter.com/Hpya5fA0Pq
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) January 26, 2025
"عشرات آلاف المواطنين يتجمعون بانتظار عودتهم إلى شمال قطاع غزة".
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) January 26, 2025
مراسل الميادين أحمد غانم.#الميادين #فلسطين #غزة pic.twitter.com/JQ0QbNkB8X
In an interview with Channel 12, former Israeli Operations Branch Chief Israel Zeif stated, "Hamas emerges from this war with the upper hand, having reached a ceasefire and maintained its authority in the Gaza Strip."
He added, "We are paying the price for our failure on October 7th."
