When Roy Asmar (name changed on request) learned of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, tears of gratitude welled up in his eyes. He and his fiancée had postponed their wedding plans due to the ongoing conflict. Now, they have spent a substantial Dh11,000 to secure their return tickets home. “Honestly, it felt as though God had answered my prayers,” he shared with Khaleej Times. “I quickly checked online for tickets, only to find prices had soared. Typically, during peak season, I’d pay around Dh2,000 for a round-trip ticket. Now, the cost has more than doubled, with one-way tickets reaching Dh4,500. I ended up paying Dh5,500 each for round-trip tickets for myself and my fiancée.” Despite the high costs, Roy is elated. “We’ve always envisioned a winter wedding in our hometown, surrounded by our closest loved ones,” he said. “We had hoped to marry this December, but for months, it seemed unattainable. At one point, we considered bringing our parents here, but even the journey to and from the airport was fraught with danger. We explored numerous alternatives, but the risks were too great.”
“We longed to exchange vows in a church in our hometown and then celebrate Christmas together. Now, our dream is becoming a reality,” Roy admitted that a truce seemed improbable even just a week ago. “The fighting had escalated, and my fiancée felt there was no end in sight,” he recalled. “Yet, deep down, I believed there would be a ceasefire during Christmas. I’m overjoyed that my intuition proved correct. For now, we’ve only shared our plans with our families, which is why we prefer to remain anonymous. We plan to celebrate with friends later.”
On Wednesday, Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire, brokered by the U.S. and France after 14 months of conflict, ignited by the Gaza war. Lebanese citizens returned to their devastated homes to start rebuilding their lives. Dubai resident Ayoub Merhi expressed relief but also concern upon hearing of the ceasefire. “For the past few months, I’ve been obsessively checking social media and news outlets for updates on the war,” he said. His family, including his elderly parents, had been displaced due to the constant bombing.
“My father has health issues and has been in and out of the hospital for treatment,” he explained. “But the bombing and war forced them to travel longer distances, taking a toll on my parents. I’m relieved by the ceasefire, yet I worry if either side will resume fighting.” He mentioned that he has lost friends in the war. “They were innocent civilians killed in the bombing,” he said. “Since then, I’ve been terrified for my parents.” Work commitments have delayed his immediate travel plans, but he looks forward to visiting home. “I’m hoping to travel in January to check on my parents and family.”
Source link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com
