Evacuation orders stir chaos: Israeli leaflets spark displacement and debate in Al-Wazzani area

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

Along the road to Al-Wazzani, many Syrian families who once worked on agricultural projects in the area were seen unloading their belongings as they sought refuge in the nearby town of Ain Arab.

Israeli leaflets, which called on residents and displaced people in the Al-Wazzani region to evacuate by 4 p.m. and move north of Khiam, warning them not to return until the war's end, had a significant impact on those displaced.

Agricultural vehicles loaded with women, children, and personal belongings were leaving the area as the evacuation order took effect.

In the Al-Wazzani camps, some people were rushing to evacuate before the 4 p.m. deadline. Some took their livestock and departed, others used motorcycles, and many packed their belongings, waiting for transportation to take them to safer areas.

However, the scene changed upon entering the town of Al-Wazzani, which sits directly on the border near Ghajar. The town’s Lebanese residents have refused to leave since the start of the war, and the Israeli leaflets did not sway their decision.

This, however, is not the whole story. According to the Israeli occupation leadership, the leaflets were an unauthorized initiative by Brigade 769 of the Northern Command. The Israeli military’s top leadership and political officials did not approve the move, and the Israeli army has launched an investigation into the incident.