Residents of Kibbutz Hanita and Kibbutz Rosh Hanikra near Israel’s northern border are gradually returning to their homes after a temporary ceasefire halted over a year of Hezbollah attacks. The conflict, which began on October 8, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 45 civilians and 80 Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and reservists. On November 27, 2024, a 60-day ceasefire took effect, allowing some of the 60,000 evacuees to begin revisiting their homes, though northern border communities remain closed military zones.
Ori Shaked, whose family home in Hanita was destroyed in a Hezbollah rocket strike, recently visited to salvage personal belongings. His family evacuated on October 9, 2023, a day before their home was struck. Residents can only visit during the day, often accompanying construction crews working to repair damage from months of conflict.