Return to Lebanon: A Ceasefire Homecoming

Thousands of people return to Lebanon from Syria after a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel. Amid border congestion, families packed their belongings for the journey home, despite the destruction and uncertainty that awaits. The ceasefire has reversed previous refugee patterns, as relief mixes with the sorrow of loss.

Thousands of people have started their return journey to Lebanon from Syria following the declaration of a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel. The cessation of nearly 14 months of fighting has prompted families to cross the border back home, despite the challenges and destruction they might face.

On Thursday, vehicles lined up bumper-to-bumper at the Jousieh border crossing in Syria's Homs province, eager to reach Lebanon. Only two of the six border crossings between Lebanon and Syria remain functional after Israeli airstrikes incapacitated the others.

Lebanon had hosted over 1 million Syrian refugees, but now more than 600,000 Lebanese have found refuge in Syria amid escalating conflicts. The ceasefire initiated a reversal in the refugee flow as families, embracing relief yet grappling with sorrow, returned to their damaged homes in Lebanon.

(With inputs from agencies.)