'What I liked most about my house in Khiam was the garden'

On April 7, the Israeli army claimed to control the strategic town of Khiam, about six kilometers from the border. But near-daily clashes continue between Hezbollah and Israeli soldiers, who are still trying to solidify their presence and continue advancing into other areas in the town. In addition to direct confrontations, Khiam, located in the Marjayoun district, is regularly targeted by destructive bombardments.

War with Israel is deeply woven into Khiam's history. Yet for its residents, the town is also a haven of peace.

'What I liked most about my house in Khiam was the garden'

Hassan Sayyed Ali, 63 years old. After a life spent abroad, he returned to Khiam, his native village, and built a house there, which Israel bombed.

"From the Gulf to Europe, I spent nearly 40 years of my life abroad. But when it was time to retire, I decided to return to Khiam, my native village. I then built a villa there, exactly how I wanted it, investing a lot.

Of course, it was damaged by Israel in 2024. The aluminum, the windows, the metal, the walls, the stones... everything was damaged. With this new war, I don't even know if anything is left of my house.

What I liked most about my house in Khiam was the garden. Abroad, you don't have a garden. In our village, we love nature, trees, growing things. I carefully chose every tree in my garden, bringing them from everywhere. I had a Chinese pine, a paulownia, a hazelnut tree. I also had sugarcanes, the one that gives stevia. It was a very special garden. In the middle, I had built a gazebo-style garden annex with large windows and tiles, with a bathroom and a kitchen. I loved that place. Today, there's nothing left.

My children live abroad and rarely come back to Lebanon. But when we had this house, they came more often. They liked to stay there. That's where they truly rested.

For me, Khiam is paradise. I know everyone says their village is paradise, but Khiam truly is. In the village, you can go hunting, walk in nature, go all the way to the banks of the Wazzani, and see the snow on the summit of Jabal al-Sheikh [Mount Hermon] in winter. Evenings in the village were spent playing tawleh [backgammon]. My brothers and sisters also built homes in Khiam, and we visited each other all the time.

Today, I miss Khiam deeply.

When you learn your village has been wiped out, you fall into a state of sadness and depression. But I always say Alhamdullilah [thank God]. And I try to keep hope that we will return, because we are certain we will go back to live in Khiam, God willing. It's a conviction. My children are also eager to come back, as soon as it is possible. Then we will rebuild everything, we will build a house and live there together."

The Israeli army destroying the minaret of a mosque in Khiam, at the end of March 2026, according to this video posted on X.

Khiam, an ancient city with a rich and troubled history

Khiam is viewed as an ambassador of the breeze, mist, and water, lying between Mount Hermon and its surroundings that stretch into endless meadows.
The largest of the 32 localities in Marjayoun district, Khiam is especially known for its detention camp, originally built by the French in 1933, later turned into a Lebanese Army barracks after independence in 1943, and then a center for detention and torture after the Israeli invasion in 1978.
Khiam is an ancient town, probably formed by groups who left their original regions for political, security, or social reasons. In Arabic, the word translates to tents. Some sources indicate it was once called "the tents of Jacob," in reference to the prophet Jacob, who, according to tradition, settled his relatives and flocks in a nearby plain.
The town has gone through many significant historical periods. During World War I, the Ottomans built fortifications there against the British forces stationed in Palestine, and imposed conscription. In 1933, a military barracks was built there during the French mandate, boosting local economic development. During World War II, Khiam was the scene of fighting between the Allies and Axis forces; trenches and defensive positions from that period remain visible. A major battle took place there in 1941 between Allies and those of the Vichy regime. Remnants of a British military airfield and a wartime hospital can still be found, which were damaged by Israel in the July 2006 war.
Located about 10 kilometers from the Israeli border, Khiam was one of the first towns to receive Palestinian refugees after the 1948 Nakba. It also supported Palestinian armed action. It has endured many wars and destructions, notably in 1973, 1978, 1982, 2006, and more recently during the 2024 and 2026. Khiam was also the site of a massacre perpetrated by Israeli forces on March 17, 1978, during which more than 60 people — elderly, women, and civilians — were executed in their homes and in the village square before the town was largely destroyed. Later, the city became infamous for its detention center, established in 1985 and run by Israeli intelligence, the Israeli army and the South Lebanon Army. Hundreds of people were imprisoned there, tortured and detained without trial. This site, a place of commemorating the occupation, was partially destroyed by Israeli airstrikes during the 2006 war.
After every destruction, its inhabitants rebuilt their town. After the liberation of 2000, Khiam experienced significant urban development and regained a central role in the region.
Khiam, which covers 22 square kilometers, has a population estimated at about 28,000 people. Before the latest war, some of its residents lived there, while others had settled in Beirut, its southern suburbs, among other places. The majority of those registered in Khiam, however, now live abroad, providing important economic support for their relatives who remained. Its demographics is divided as follows: Shiite Muslims represent about 91.21% of the population, Christians about 6.48% (with four churches in the town), Sunnis 1.87%, as well as small Druze and Alawite minorities. There were 17,807 registered voters on the 2022 electoral rolls.

Contributors to this project: Lyana Alameddine, Tasnim Chaaban, Enzo Quenescourt, Gabriel Blondel, Kamel Jaber, Emilie Sueur, Marguerita Sejaan, Lucile Wassermann, Claire Grandchamps

« Ce que je préférais dans ma maison de Khiam, c'est le jardin »