Middle East latest: Displaced people return to south Lebanon as ceasefire appears to hold

Thousands of displaced people started returning to their homes in southern Lebanon on Wednesday in the first hours of a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, defying a warning from the Israeli military to stay away from previously evacuated areas.

The ceasefire brought relief across the Mediterranean nation after days of some of the most intense Israeli airstrikes and clashes during nearly 14 months of fighting. However, many wondered if the agreement would hold, and Israel has said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire.

The truce marks the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. Israeli strikes overnight on two schools-turned-shelters in Gaza City killed 11 people, including four children, according to hospital officials. Israel said one of the strikes targeted a Hamas sniper and the other targeted militants hiding among civilians.

In Gaza, more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel has destroyed large parts of Gaza and displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million people