Lebanese residents of border towns come back during a fragile cease-fire

By ABBY SEWELL
Associated Press

KFAR KILA, Lebanon (AP) — A cautious calm has prevailed over the border area in south Lebanon. Saturday was the second day of a four-day cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. Villages in south Lebanon that had emptied of their residents have come back to life at least briefly. Lebanon and Hezbollah weren’t officially parties to the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. But the halt in fighting has brought at least a temporary end to the daily exchanges of rockets, artillery shelling and airstrikes. Some Lebanese took the opportunity to inspect their damaged houses or to pick up belongings. Others came back hoping to stay. Around 55,500 Lebanese have been displaced by the clashes between the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces.