This satellite photo provided by Planet Labs PBC and dated Oct. 24, 2024, shows destruction in the village of Mais al-Jabal. (Credit: Photo Planet Labs PBC/AFP)
President of Mais al-Jabal municipality, in the Marjayoun district, Abdelmenhem Choucair, has issued an urgent appeal through L'Orient Today for information regarding the fate of four elderly residents, missing for nearly a month, amid escalating Israeli military ground offensive and airstrikes in the southern Lebanese village.
Mohammed Abdallah Chartouni, Nemer Hamadi, Sabah Said Rizk and Hassan Moussa Kabalan, all aged between 85 and 90, have not been heard from since Oct. 2, 2024. They live alone in their homes and have chosen to remain in their homes despite their families' efforts to persuade them to leave.
"For a month now, I've been asking the Lebanese Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross, UNIFIL [United Nationals Interim Forces in Lebanon] and the Lebanese Army to find out their fate," Choucair said. "I always get the same answer: the Israelis won't let us in and the area is under military operations."
Over the past month, the Israeli army has intensified its offensive in southern Lebanon, wreaking havoc on villages it enters, often following violent clashes with Hezbollah. The army has razed complete neighborhoods by planting and detonating explosives in several areas, including Mohaibib, Blida, Mais al-Jabal, Kfar Kila — all villages in the Marjayoun district — Yaroun and Aita al-Shaab, in the Bint Jbeil district.
Mais al-Jabal, an abandoned village
"Despite their families' relentless efforts to persuade them to leave, these four people chose to stay," Choucair said. "At first, they were looked after by members of the Civil Defense, the Red Cross and some locals. But since Oct. 2, no one remains in the town to help them; the village has become abandoned."
Choucair reported that on Sunday, "an Israeli force demolished an entire neighborhood, covering an area of 10,000 square meters around the city's government hospital." This destruction wiped out dozens of villas, houses and buildings. On Monday, sources familiar with the area confirmed to our publication that images circulating on social media depict the Israeli army's detonation of a 500-meter-long area south of Mais al-Jabal.
"Mais al-Jabal has become a disaster area. Its buildings and homes are completely devastated. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed," lamented Choucair.
"The village has suffered more than 500 air strikes since the start of the war, with more than 5,000 shells of various calibers fired into the area, including phosphorus shells, which have devastated our farmland and homes." He added that the town's water tank and two schools had been destroyed. "The municipality building is also in ruins. The entire infrastructure is devastated."
Finally, he stated that to date, "73 people have been killed and hundreds injured," in the village.