2 displaced Lebanese grandmothers reflect on successive Israeli invasions : NPR

Key Points:

• Mariam Allawiya and Kafa Wehbe, grandmothers from southern Lebanon, are among over one million displaced by Israel's recent invasion following Hezbollah rocket attacks, now squatting in a vacant Beirut building.
• Both women have experienced multiple displacements due to Israeli invasions in 1982, 2006, 2024, and the current conflict, with their homes repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, fueling their support for Hezbollah as a resistance force.
• Despite a recent ceasefire, Israel plans to maintain a buffer zone south of the Litani River, preventing displaced residents like Allawiya and Wehbe from returning to their homes, which remain under Israeli control.
• The women and their extended family face ongoing hardship, including interrupted medical treatment and disrupted schooling, with uncertainty about when it will be safe to return home or rebuild their lives.
• Their stories reflect the broader history of southern Lebanon’s conflict, displacement, and resilience, as well as the complex local support for Hezbollah amid enduring Israeli military presence.