A month after the ceasefire agreement, residents and business owners in Nabatiyeh are growing increasingly frustrated by delayed compensation for damages caused during the recent conflict. The lack of action by Hezbollah and the South Lebanon Council in assessing and documenting the destruction has only deepened the discontent.

At a protest organized recently by the Nabatiyeh Traders Association, merchants voiced their anger over the inaction, directing their criticism squarely at Hezbollah.

“Who will compensate us?” one protester asked. “How can we reopen our businesses when no funds have been provided, and no one has even checked on the extent of our losses? Wasn’t this destruction a result of Hezbollah’s actions?”

The mechanism for assessing damages and providing compensation remains unclear, leaving many in financial limbo. In Nabatiyeh’s heavily bombarded marketplace, a shopkeeper surveyed his destroyed store and said, “We need money, not empty words. Those responsible for this devastation must compensate the people.”

An estimated 5,000 businesses, both large and small, were affected by the conflict. Many owners had expected swift compensation, similar to what followed the 2006 July War, but those hopes are fading. Business owners are now grappling with the slow response and holding Hezbollah accountable for both the conflict and its aftermath.

Hassan Kanso, who owned a metalworking factory in Doueir, is struggling to restart his business. His factory, which supported several families and exported products to Africa, had recently expanded before it was destroyed in the war.

“No one has come to assess the damage,” he said. “If we don’t receive compensation, I’ll hold those responsible for this war accountable. How are we supposed to survive under these conditions?”

Others share similar stories. Standing amid the ruins of their shops, many business owners face staggering losses, with damages often exceeding $200,000. Issam Wahbi, who owned one of Nabatiyeh’s oldest clothing stores, lamented, “Seventy years of hard work have turned to rubble. We’re not asking the state for help; we’re demanding compensation from those responsible for this war.”

Small business owners across Nabatiyeh express anger over the lack of support and attention to their plight.

“How can we live? Everything we’ve built is gone, and no one has checked on us. Families have been left with nothing since the war ended, especially by those who caused this conflict,” said one business owner.

Adding to their frustration is the bureaucratic red tape they face.

“All they’re asking for is paperwork while we’re left struggling to survive,” another shopkeeper said.

The discontent in Nabatiyeh is spreading, fueled by dire economic conditions worsened by the war. Anger is mounting as residents demand accountability and action.

“When will they compensate those they call ‘the noblest of people’?” one protester asked.

As the calls for compensation grow louder, the people of Nabatiyeh face an uncertain future, grappling with the financial and emotional toll of a war they believe they were forced to bear without support or resolution.

This article is an adaptation of an Arabic piece published by Nidaa Al-Watan.