A walk through the southern Lebanese village of Qana reveals the scale of destruction caused by the latest Israeli assault, but it also shows the large-scale return of residents who were forcibly displaced following Israeli evacuation orders.
The village is seeing a gradual return of residents despite worsening living conditions, as well as ongoing security risks posed by the presence of Israeli occupation forces in surrounding villages.
At the same time, the municipality is working to rehabilitate infrastructure and restore basic services.
Qana , also known as Cana of Galilee, is located in the Tyre district, about 95 kilometres south of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and around 14 kilometres east of the city of Tyre.
It has an estimated population of about 18,000. It borders Deir Aames to the east, Aitit to the north, Hannawayh to the west and Siddiqine to the south.
Its best-known neighbourhoods include Haret al-Fawqa, Haret al-Tahta, Sayyida Salha, Al-Baraka, Al-Khashna, Al-Khariba and Haret Mar Youssef.
The village is known for its religious diversity and holds special significance among Christians. It is also known as "Biblical Cana", where one of the miracles of Jesus Christ is believed to have taken place.
Qana was the site of a notorious Israeli massacre on 18 April 1996, in which 110 people, including 33 children, were killed. Entire families were wiped out after seeking shelter inside a compound belonging to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) during Israel's military operation "Grapes of Wrath".
On 30 July 2006, Qana witnessed another massacre when the Israeli army struck a three-storey building in the Al-Khariba neighbourhood where displaced people had taken refuge, killing about 55 people, including several children.
During the September 2024 assault, 10 people were killed, and during the latest round of war, Qana was subjected to a series of Israeli attacks that killed about 16 people, destroyed more than 100 housing units and damaged buildings, commercial establishments and infrastructure.
The village remains in a fragile state of stability because it lies close to towns that are either fully occupied or under Israeli military fire control.
Residents said Israeli aircraft never leave the skies above the village and that the sound of shelling and explosions, particularly from Beit Lif in the Bint Jbeil district, regularly reaches them.
Against the backdrop of constant Israeli drone flights, the damage across Qana ranges from destruction to partial collapse.
The streets are marked by cautious calm and light movement. Some shops, particularly those selling vegetables and groceries, have reopened, while owners of damaged businesses continue repair and restoration work in preparation for reopening as soon as possible.
Returning residents of Qana said they will remain even if they have to sleep on the ground or among the rubble.
They said they decided to return as soon as there was talk of a truce being secured and rushed back to their village, despite the municipality asking them on 15 June to delay their return until an official announcement confirmed a comprehensive ceasefire , particularly because the Israeli army had violated agreements with the Lebanese state on more than one occasion.
Maryam Madani sits inside her grocery shop holding her daughter and tells The New Arab, "We returned with strong hearts and our heads held high. We missed our homes and our village."
"Qana was hit hard and lost many martyrs. The war was harsh on people and their livelihoods, but we came back with even stronger determination. We will stay on our land and rebuild it. People missed their homes, and that is why life is almost back to normal. We can hear explosions in the surrounding villages, but the situation in Qana is stable," she said.
Madani also said the municipality is carrying out maintenance work and completing projects needed to restore services and essential supplies, helping people return.
She added, "Although people still face some difficulties obtaining certain goods, especially because some trucks cannot reach the village, the beginning is good, and activity continues. We hope the situation remains stable so conditions gradually improve."
Hussein Taj al-Din, who works in aluminium design, told The New Arab , "Business is not what it used to be, of course. The situation remains tense, and work is slow. The psychological situation is also affected by the news, especially developments in the surrounding area and the Iranian-US negotiations."
"The main challenges now are electricity and water. Many residents had their solar panels damaged, but repairs are continuing to resolve these problems , along with issues affecting the telecommunications network," al-Din remarked.
Fatima Hallal continues preparing a small clothing shop after the Israeli occupation destroyed her main store and damaged her home.
Although she was forced to flee to Beirut after the destruction inflicted on Qana, she said she is very happy to have been able to return.
She said, "This war was harsh in every respect, especially the conditions of displacement in schools. Most residents have not been able to return because some lost their homes completely."
Kifah Atiyeh said she lost her shop during the 2024 assault and later opened a small store to earn a living.
She explained, "I returned on the first day of the ceasefire. Basic services are almost fully available in the village. Life goes on, and we must move forward, even though what we lived through was difficult."
"I returned to Qana because it is my town. My land and my home are here, and I have spent most of my life here. Qana means both the Quran and the Gospel to me, and it is a blessing for the entire region," she added.
Fatima Ali Hakim survived several massacres in Qana and lost members of her family during the 2024 assault.
Despite all the difficulties, challenges, and dangers, she prefers to remain in the village and help people secure food and essential goods through her shop.
"Qana is our town, and it is difficult to leave our home and land. I do not fear becoming a martyr. What matters is that we remain on our land because displacement is unacceptable," Karim said. "The hardest thing anyone can experience is losing loved ones. They are the ones we mourn, not our livelihoods, because losing loved ones is far harder."
Qana Mayor Ali Atiyeh told The New Arab that " the Israeli attacks destroyed around 100 housing units and more than 70 commercial units.
"Around 20 homes and 15 shops were partially destroyed, while another 1,200 units sustained moderate damage. During the Israeli assault in 2024, our town recorded 29 martyrs. In the latest assault, we have 16 martyrs," the mayor remarked. "But the procession of martyrs has not stopped. We remain under fire and are subjected to attacks every day as Israeli assaults on the south continue, albeit at a lower intensity and at different times."
Atiyeh said, "The municipality resumed work on 14 June, and we are on the ground every day removing the effects of the assault. The scars of war cannot be erased without clearing the rubble."
"The municipality is working to restore electricity, water and internet networks, remove debris and clean the streets with the resources available to us, in cooperation with the local community and expatriates from the village," he noted. "It is well known that municipalities in the south lack the financial resources needed for recovery, but we are making every effort to help our residents who remain committed to their land and who decided to return from the very first moment the assault ended, before the official decision allowing people to return."
The mayor stressed that Qana is no ordinary village, saying its history bears witness to its resilience.
"Qana is a symbol of struggle in the region and a national model of coexistence among its people," he said.
"Its population used to approach 25,000 during the annual summer season. It is a meeting point for all surrounding villages and has a long history of Israeli attacks, particularly the 1996 massacre. The latest assault caused enormous destruction across its neighbourhoods, homes, infrastructure and commercial establishments," the mayor noted.
"Official buildings, including schools and the General Security headquarters, were also damaged. The biggest challenge now is the high demand for housing units, especially from residents whose homes were destroyed and from displaced guests from border villages such as Yater, Rshaf, Beit Lif and Kafra. We cannot meet this growing demand," he added.
" Israeli aircraft never leave the skies , and every day we hear explosions in neighbouring villages," Atiyeh continued. "This has a psychological impact on everyone and creates anxiety and tension amid the unstable reality we are living through."
"I hope the government establishes an effective crisis cell to assist southern towns, particularly by clearing rubble and restoring basic services. These are essential steps to bring life back to those villages," Atiyeh concluded.
Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here .