UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged global leaders to maintain pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to support a ceasefire in Ukraine. US resumes military aid as Ukraine signals ceasefire possibility Speaking on Saturday at the opening of a virtual meeting of what he calls the “coalition of the willing,” Starmer stated that Putin will “sooner or later” have to “come to the table.” Ukraine says it is open to a 30-day ceasefire; US resumes military aid and intelligence sharing The discussion is set to explore ways countries can provide military and financial assistance to Ukraine while also assessing support for any potential future peacekeeping mission.

The Trump administration lifted its suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine, and Kyiv signaled that it was open to a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia, pending Moscow’s agreement, American and Ukrainian officials said Tuesday following talks in Saudi Arabia. The administration's decision marked a sharp shift from only a week ago, when it imposed the measures in an apparent effort to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to enter talks to end the war with invading Russian forces. The suspension of U.S. assistance came days after Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump argued about the conflict in a tense White House meeting. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the U.S. delegation to the talks in Jeddah, said Washington would present the ceasefire offer to the Kremlin, which has so far opposed anything short of a permanent end to the conflict without accepting any concessions. “We’re going to tell them this is what’s on the table. Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking. And now it’ll be up to them to say yes or no," Rubio told reporters after the talks. “If they say no, then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.” Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, added: "The Ukrainian delegation today made something very clear, that they share President Trump’s vision for peace.” Tuesday's discussions, which lasted for nearly eight hours, appeared to put to rest — for the moment at least — the animosity between Trump and Zelenskyy that erupted during the Oval Office meeting last month. Ukraine-US talks begin in KSA amid ongoing conflict Waltz said the negotiators “got into substantive details on how this war is going to permanently end,” including long-term security guarantees. And, he said, Trump agreed to immediately lift the pause in the supply of billions of dollars of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing. Seeking a deal with Russia Trump said he hoped that an agreement could be solidified “over the next few days.” “I’ve been saying that Russia’s been easier to deal with so far than Ukraine, which is not supposed to be the way it is," Trump said later Tuesday. "But it is, and we hope to get Russia. But we have a full ceasefire from Ukraine. That’s good.” The Kremlin had no immediate comment on the U.S. and Ukrainian statements. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said only that negotiations with U.S. officials could take place this week. Trump 's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel later this week to Moscow, where he could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a person familiar with the matter but not authorized to comment publicly. The person cautioned that scheduling could change. Officials met in Saudi Arabia only hours after Russia shot down over 300 Ukrainian drones in Ukraine’s biggest attack since the Kremlin's full-scale invasion. Neither U.S. nor Ukrainian officials offered any comment on the barrage. Russia also launched 126 drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said, as part of Moscow’s relentless pounding of civilian areas. Zelenskyy renews calls for lasting peace In an address posted shortly after Tuesday's talks ended, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to a lasting peace, emphasizing that the country has sought an end to the war since its outset. “Our position is absolutely clear: Ukraine has strived for peace from the very first second of this war, and we want to do everything possible to achieve it as soon as possible — securely and in a way that ensures war does not return,” Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak, who led the Ukrainian delegation, described the negotiations as positive. He said the two countries “share the same vision, and that we are moving in the same direction toward the just peace long awaited by all Ukrainians.” In Kyiv, Lena Herasymenko, a psychologist, accepts that compromises will be necessary to end the war, but she said they must be “reasonable.” Moscow faces ‘massive’ drone attack ahead of US-Ukraine peace talks “We had massive losses during this war, and we don’t know yet how much more we’ll have,” she told The Associated Press. “We are suffering every day. Our kids are suffering, and we don’t know how the future generation will be affected.” Oleksandr, a Ukrainian soldier who could give only his first name because of security restrictions, warned that Ukraine cannot let down its guard. “If there is a ceasefire, it would only give Russia time to increase its firepower, manpower, missiles and other arms. Then they would attack Ukraine again,” he said. Hawkish Russians push back against a ceasefire In Moscow, hawkish politicians and military bloggers spoke strongly against a prospective ceasefire, arguing that it would play into Kyiv’s hands and damage Moscow’s interests at a time when the Russian military has the advantage. “A ceasefire isn’t what we need,” wrote hardline ideologue Alexander Dugin. Viktor Sobolev, a retired general who is a member of the Russian parliament’s lower house, warned that a 30-day truce would allow Ukraine to beef up arms supplies and regroup its troops before resuming hostilities. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin political commentator, suggested that Moscow could demand a halt on Western arms supplies to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire. “An embargo on arms supplies to Ukraine could be a condition for a truce,” he wrote. The Kremlin sticks to its conditions for peace Russia has not publicly offered any concessions. Putin has repeatedly declared that Moscow wants a comprehensive settlement, not a temporary truce. Russia has said it’s ready to cease hostilities on the condition that Ukraine drops its bid to join NATO and recognizes regions that Moscow occupies as Russian. Russia has captured nearly a fifth of Ukraine's territory. What to know ahead of the talks between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia Russian forces have held the battlefield momentum for more than a year, though at a high cost in infantry and armor, and are pushing at selected points along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, especially in the eastern Donetsk region. Ukraine has invested heavily in developing its arms industry, especially high-tech drones that have reached deep into Russia.

Israel has introduced a new ceasefire proposal this week, distinct from the one agreed upon in January, and is trying to force Hamas to accept it through a siege on Gaza, reports AP. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to this plan as the “Witkoff proposal,” claiming it was drafted by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. However, the White House has not confirmed this, simply stating its support for Israel's actions. Palestinians hope Oscar-winning ‘No Other Land’ brings global support The new plan calls for Hamas to release half of its remaining hostages, which are key to the group's leverage, in exchange for an extension of the ceasefire and negotiations towards a long-term peace deal. There is no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a part of the original agreement. Hamas has accused Israel of undermining the current ceasefire deal, which stipulates the return of all hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli pullout from Gaza, and a lasting ceasefire. However, no substantive talks have occurred. On Sunday, Israel halted all humanitarian supplies to Gaza and warned of further consequences if Hamas does not accept the new plan. Meanwhile, Arab leaders are working on an alternative vision for Gaza's future, countering Trump's proposal to relocate its population and turn it into a tourist destination. The original ceasefire agreement, reached in January, outlined a three-phase plan to secure the return of hostages and end the war that began with Hamas’ October 2023 attack. While Phase 1 led to the release of several hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, Phase 2 is more complex, as it would require Israel to balance its goal of securing the hostages’ return with the destruction of Hamas. Hamas has stated it will only release the remaining hostages if the war ends, leaving it in control of Gaza. The new plan would require Hamas to release half of the 59 remaining hostages on day one, without any immediate reciprocal actions from Israel. This would weaken Hamas’ position, and the U.S. and Israel have already mentioned new demands, such as the disarmament of Hamas or the exile of its leadership, which were not part of the original agreement. For Netanyahu, this new plan offers a six-week window, crucial for passing a budget and avoiding early elections, which could see him ousted from power. Opposition parties have indicated they will not push for Netanyahu's removal over a deal that returns the hostages, though it would still harm his political standing. Muslims in Middle East observe Ramadan amid political upheaval The U.S. has been silent on the details of the new plan, though Netanyahu claims it has been fully coordinated with the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Trump has given mixed messages, criticizing Hamas’ treatment of the captives while expressing his desire for their immediate release, yet leaving the decision to Israel. Trump's proposal to relocate Gaza’s population to other countries and turn it into a tourist site has been rejected by Palestinians, Arab countries, and human rights experts, who argue that it would violate international law. If implemented, it would likely require resuming the war and intensifying the offensive, which has already caused significant devastation in Gaza. In response, Egypt is finalising a counterproposal, which will be discussed at an Arab summit in Cairo. This plan suggests that Palestinians stay in Gaza, relocate to safe zones, and have Hamas cede power to a transitional authority while the international community strengthens the Palestinian Authority. However, Israel has rejected any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza’s postwar reconstruction, and it remains uncertain whether Trump would support Egypt’s plan.

Hamas has stated that no progress has been made in the indirect talks with Israel regarding the second phase of the ceasefire. It is uncertain whether the talks will resume on Saturday, as reported by a senior Hamas official. The first phase of the ceasefire halted 15 months of conflict in Gaza, leading to the release of 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel's ceasefires with Hezbollah, Hamas uncertain again This first phase will end on Saturday, but fighting is not expected to resume while negotiations for the second phase continue. The second phase aims to bring an end to the war in Gaza and secure the return of all remaining living hostages. The discussions are taking place in Cairo with participation from Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. While Hamas has not attended the talks directly, their position has been represented by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, told the Associated Press that no progress had been made before Israeli negotiators left on Friday. It is uncertain if the mediators will return on Saturday as planned, and Naim said he did not know when negotiations might continue. Hamas initiated the war on October 7, 2023, with an attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel. Since then, Israel’s military actions have resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, with Gaza health officials noting that more than half of those killed were women and children. Israel threatens 'all hell will break loose' on Hamas in latest Gaza ceasefire crisis The ceasefire deal, which was agreed upon in January, includes three phases intended to end the war. On Friday, Hamas reiterated its commitment to the terms of the agreement and urged the international community to push Israel to begin the second phase without delay. Alongside the second phase of the ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office revealed that mediators are also discussing measures to improve the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, in order to ease the suffering of the population and contribute to regional stability. Hamas has rejected an Israeli proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire by 42 days, claiming it violates the truce agreement. The proposal would extend the ceasefire through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in exchange for another hostage exchange. The World Food Program reported that during the first phase, it reached 1 million Palestinians in Gaza, restoring distribution points, reopening bakeries, and increasing cash assistance. The agency stressed that the ceasefire must hold, with no turning back.

Israel kept thousands of Palestinians from returning to their homes in northern Gaza on Sunday as it accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of hostages it has released. Local health officials said Israeli forces fired on the crowd, killing two people and wounding nine. Israeli forces also opened fire in Lebanon on protesters demanding their withdrawal by Sunday's deadline in line with a separate ceasefire agreement with the Hezbollah militant group. Health officials in Lebanon said at least 15 people were killed and more than 80 wounded, AP reports. Israel says it hasn't withdrawn because Lebanese forces are not deploying quickly enough, while Lebanon says its forces cannot move into areas until Israeli troops leave. US President Donald Trump meanwhile suggested that most of Gaza's population should be at least temporarily resettled elsewhere, including in Egypt and Jordan, to “just clean out” the war-ravaged enclave. Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians have previously rejected such a scenario, fearing Israel might never allow refugees to return. Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said Palestinians would never accept such a proposal, “even if seemingly well-intentioned under the guise of reconstruction.” He said the Palestinians can rebuild Gaza “even better than before” if Israel lifts its blockade. Trump putting pressure on Jordan and Egypt to accept more refugees and floats plan to 'just clean out' Gaza Under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Israel on Saturday was to begin allowing Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza on foot through the Netzarim corridor bisecting Gaza. Israel put that on hold until Hamas frees a civilian hostage who Israel said should have been released Saturday. Hamas in turn accused Israel of violating the agreement. Crowds of people carrying their belongings filled a main road leading to a closed Israeli checkpoint. “We have been in agony for a year and a half,” said Nadia Qasem. Fadi al-Sinwar, also displaced from Gaza City, said “the fate of more than a million people is linked to one person,” referring to the Israeli hostage, Arbel Yehoud. “See how valuable we are? We are worthless," he said.

Israel and Hamas were expected to swap more hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, the second such exchange since a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip last weekend and another test for the deal. The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the militant group. The fragile deal has so far held, quieting airstrikes and rockets and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory. When the ceasefire started Sunday, three hostages held by the militants were released in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners. On Saturday, four hostages are expected to be freed for 200 prisoners, including 120 who are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis. They will likely be released into Gaza or sent abroad. The four Israeli soldiers, Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19, were captured in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war. Syria's economic struggles persist despite Assad's ousting They were taken from Nahal Oz base near the border with Gaza when Palestinian militants overran it, killing more than 60 soldiers there. The female abductees had all served in a unit of lookouts charged with monitoring threats along the border. A fifth female soldier in their unit, Agam Berger, 20, was abducted with them but not included in the list. After the swap, Israel is expected to begin pulling back from the Netzarim corridor — an east-west road dividing Gaza in two — and allowing displaced Palestinians in the south to return to their former homes in the north for the first time since the beginning of the war. Palestinians will only be allowed to move north on foot, with vehicular traffic restricted until later in the ceasefire. What happens after the deal’s initial six-week phase is uncertain, but many hope it will lead to the end of a war that has leveled wide swaths of Gaza, displaced the vast majority of its population, and left hundreds of thousands of people at risk of famine. The conflict began with a cross-border attack led by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took around 250 others hostage. Bittersweet feeling for Palestinians freed from Israeli prisons More than 100 hostages were freed in a weeklong truce the following month. But dozens have remained in captivity for over a year with no contact with the outside world. Israel believes at least a third of the more than 90 captives still inside Gaza were killed in the initial attack or died in captivity. Israel's air and ground war, one of the deadliest and most destructive in decades, has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were militants. They say women and children make up more than half the fatalities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Sunday that the ceasefire in Gaza will not begin until Israel has received a list of the hostages set to be released from Hamas. He reiterated the warning in a statement barely an hour before the ceasefire was set to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time. Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on “technical field reasons.” It said in a statement that it is committed to the ceasefire deal announced last week. Read: Israel's Netanyahu says Gaza ceasefire deal still incomplete The exchange raised doubts about whether the ceasefire would begin as planned. Hamas is expected to release three hostages later on Sunday in exchange for scores of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, the first step in a long process aimed at winding down the 15-month war. The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire should see a total of 33 hostages returned from Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees released. Israeli forces should pull back into a buffer zone inside Gaza, and many displaced Palestinians should be able to return home. The devastated territory should also see a surge in humanitarian aid. This is just the second ceasefire in the war, longer and more consequential than the weeklong pause over a year ago, with the potential to end the fighting for good. Read: 'Last-minute crisis' delays Gaza truce, hostage deal: Netanyahu Negotiations on the far more difficult second phase of this ceasefire should begin in just over two weeks. Major questions remain, including whether the war will resume after the six-week first phase and how the rest of the nearly 100 hostages in Gaza will be freed. Israel’s Cabinet approved the ceasefire early Saturday in a rare session during the Jewish Sabbath, more than two days after mediators announced the deal. The warring sides were under pressure from both the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump to achieve a deal before the U.S. presidential inauguration on Monday. The toll of the war has been immense, and new details on its scope will now emerge. Over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that sparked the war killed over 1,200. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers have died. Some 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced. The United Nations says the health system, road network and other vital infrastructure have been badly damaged. Rebuilding – if the ceasefire reaches its final phase – will take several years at least. Major questions about Gaza’s future, political and otherwise, remain unresolved.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies. The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory. Three officials from the US and one from Hamas confirmed that a deal had been reached, while a senior Israeli official said details are still being ironed out. All three US officials requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the deal before the official announcement by mediators in Doha. Hamas accepts draft agreement for Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages President Joe Biden was preparing to address the breakthrough agreement later Thursday, officials said. Any agreement still needs to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet, but is expected to go into effect in the coming days. The deal is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that is to be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war altogether. Over six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages are to be reunited with their loved ones after months in in captivity with no contact with the outside world, though it’s unclear if all are alive. It remained unclear exactly when and how many displaced Palestinians would be able to return to what remains of their homes and whether the agreement would lead to a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza — key Hamas demands for releasing the remaining captives. Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza, including women and children Many longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction. Still, the announcement offered the first sign of hope in months that Israel and Hamas may be winding down the most deadly and destructive war they’ve ever fought, a conflict that has destabilized the broader Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population and sparked a humanitarian crisis. More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023.

When Luis Har was kidnapped by Hamas-led militants on the warm morning of Oct. 7, 2023, he was forced into Gaza wearing shorts and a T-shirt. As his captivity stretched into weeks and then months, the cold, wet winter set in, bringing along with it a dread he had never endured before. “I felt a penetrating cold in my bones,” said Har, 71, who was rescued in mid-February in an Israeli military raid. With no heating in the apartment where he was held, the cold from the floor permeated his thin mattress at night. Fighting outside shattered the apartment windows, sending in rain and wind. While Har is spending this winter warm and free, dozens of hostages still in captivity are not. Their families and supporters are desperate for a ceasefire deal to bring an end to their 15-month-long nightmare. “Winter makes it much harder, much more complicated,” said Har. “They must return as quickly as possible.” The hostages often experience the same dire circumstances as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, whether it be food scarcity, the dangers from Israeli bombardments or the winter. The war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’ attack, has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population, many of whom are weathering a second winter in tents that are barely holding up against the wind, rain and temperatures that can drop below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) at night. Israel and Hamas are considering a deal that would free some hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and a halt to the fighting in Gaza. But despite reports of progress, the families of hostages have been shattered by previous rounds of promising talks that have suddenly collapsed. They fear the same could happen now. “It is a dagger in our hearts,” said Ofri Bibas Levy, about the rollercoaster of hope and despair the families have lived throughout the war. Bibas Levy’s brother, Yarden Bibas, along with his wife Shiri and sons Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 1, are being held in Gaza. “Either it happens now or it doesn’t happen at all,” she told Israeli Army Radio. During its attack on southern Israel, Hamas killed 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250, more than 100 of whom were freed in a brief ceasefire in the early weeks of the war. Since then, Israel has killed more than 45,000 people in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between fighters and noncombatants in its count. Of the roughly 100 hostages who remain in Gaza, one third are said to be dead, some killed during Hamas’ initial attack and others killed or having died in captivity. Israel has rescued eight hostages and has recovered the bodies of dozens. Read: Hezbollah leader Nasrallah was killed last year inside the war operations room, aide says The hostages range in age from 1 to 86, and are believed to be scattered throughout the Gaza Strip. They have been held in apartments or in Hamas’ web of underground tunnels, which are cramped, damp and stifling, according to testimony from freed hostages. Many families have no idea what conditions their loved ones face, uncertainty that heightens their concern. “You see a rainy day, or a cold day or whatever is going on outside, a storm, and it kills you,” said Michael Levy, whose brother Or, 34, was captured from an outdoor music festival after his wife was killed by militants, leaving their now 3-year-old son, Almog, without his parents. Yehonatan Sabban, a spokesperson for the Hostages Families Forum, said the hostages are undernourished, with low fat reserves and weakened immune systems, making them more vulnerable to complications from illness in winter. “Everyone is in a life-threatening situation that demands their immediate release,” Sabban said. Har said the conditions of his captivity worsened during winter. For weeks, he had been held with four members of his family who had also been kidnapped — along with a Shih Tzu smuggled in by one of them. Three of them and the dog were freed in the first and only ceasefire agreement in late November. That left Har and his relative Fernando Marman alone with their captors in a second-floor apartment in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Har pled with his captors, who wore heavy coats, to bring them warmer clothes. They did — although they were ridden with holes. Every 10 days or so, they washed themselves with water from a bucket. A shattered window was sealed with a tarp. In the first few weeks of captivity, there was food. Ingredients were delivered and Har took on the role of chef. When there were tomatoes, he made tomato soup with some rice. With canned peas, he made pea soup. But as the war dragged on and the temperature dropped, food became scarce. They were delighted when a captor brought one egg for them to share. For weeks, he and Marman split a single pita a day. Read more: At least 30 people killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza on Friday When he was rescued in a nighttime operation in mid-February, he ran shoeless out of the apartment and into a nearby greenhouse. Soldiers gave him a pair of shoes and a coat and spirited him home. The raid killed about 70 Palestinians, according to local authorities. The families of the remaining hostages are pinning their hopes on the latest round of ceasefire talks. “All I have is to pray that he’s somehow OK,” Levy said of his brother’s fate, “and know that the human spirit is stronger than anything.”

As displaced families in southern Lebanon begin returning home following the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, many are confronted with devastating scenes of destruction. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble by intense Israeli airstrikes during the 14-month conflict. For Mariam Kourani, 56, the destruction is personal. Walking through the remains of her house and restaurant in Hanouiyeh, she reflected on the $120,000 in losses her family incurred. “This was my house, my dreams, and my hard work,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion. The airstrike in late September destroyed everything, including her butcher shop and a business selling serving containers. Kourani and her family are among nearly 1.2 million displaced people now returning to assess the damage. Many, like Kourani, find their homes gone, with their livelihoods in ruins. After renting an apartment in Mount Lebanon for $1,000 a month during their displacement, her priority is now to repair their butcher shop to resume earning an income. “We are starting from below zero,” she said. Housing Crisis and Uncertain ReconstructionThe World Bank estimates that nearly 100,000 housing units were partially or fully damaged during the war, causing $3.2 billion in losses. Reconstruction funding remains uncertain. While Iran has offered assistance, its economic struggles and sanctions complicate the process. Hezbollah has pledged temporary accommodations for families who lost their homes, but the scale of the damage poses significant challenges. Read:Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah start a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fighting Ali Saleh, a 59-year-old resident of Aita al-Shaab near the Israeli border, has seen this destruction before. His home, rebuilt with Qatari aid after being destroyed in the 2006 war, was obliterated again. “All the memories are gone,” he said. Saleh is now searching for a place to stay near his hometown, which he described as “disaster-stricken.” In Baalbek, a UNESCO World Heritage site, 34-year-old Souad al-Outa returned to find her home in ruins. A recent airstrike in her neighborhood had killed several people, including her husband’s relatives. Standing in the wreckage of her children’s bedroom, she mourned the loss of her once “beautiful life.” Resilience Amid LossDespite the destruction, some families remain resolute. In Qana, Abu Ahmad Salameh retrieved two carpets from the rubble of his family’s homes. “All this damage can be rebuilt,” he said. “This is our land, and we will stay here no matter what.” The war’s toll goes beyond material losses. Kourani, who fled her home with her family on Sept. 23 as the conflict escalated, emphasized the human cost. “Israel has filled our land with blood,” she said. “Our big loss is our men.” Read more:Israeli strikes kill a hospital director in Lebanon and wound 9 medics in Gaza As Lebanon grapples with the aftermath of the war, the resilience of its people is evident. Yet, the road to recovery remains fraught with uncertainty and hardship. Source: With inputs from agencies