Photo of a resident from the Nabatieh region receiving financial compensation for their home affected by Israeli bombings, at an al-Qard al-Hassan branch in Nabatieh. (Photo published by Hezbollah's communication office on Dec. 15, 2024.)
Hezbollah launched a fund distribution and compensation operation for people whose homes were damaged by Israeli bombings in a sector of the Nabatieh governorate, announced the party's communication office. The funds were distributed through a branch of Qard al-Hassan, Hezbollah's financial institution.
Heavily bombed by the Israeli army before the cease-fire that went into effect on Nov. 27, Qard al-Hassan gradually reopened its branches across Lebanon. On Dec.2, the Nabatieh branch in the Bir el-Qandil neighborhood was reopened.
Azzam Kaoutharani, the Hezbollah official responsible for assessing damage in the Jabal Amel region, stated that the sector benefiting from the aid relied on 300 engineers and over 1,000 volunteers to "survey all the villages in the area." According to him, 55% of homes in the area were affected, amounting to 30,000 housing units.
"The distribution of checks and funds began in Nabatiyé," he continued, noting that the operation includes allocations for furniture, rent, and property damage.
The village of Nabatieh, Hezbollah’s stronghold, paid a heavy price during the war between Hezbollah and Israel. On Dec. 4, a spokesperson from a local merchants' collective explained that there had been no official estimate of the losses in Nabatieh, which was greatly devastated by Israeli airstrikes, but the losses were thought to exceed one billion dollars. Fearing a rise in discontent among its popular base, Hezbollah had promised the day after the war to provide compensation as soon as possible.
Trump says US 'must' respond after Iran downs Apache helicopter
