Israeli residents of Kiryat Shmona protest what they call “abandonment” by the occupation government, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.
Some 1,000 Israelis gather at the entrance of Kiryat Shmona to protest “the abandonment” of the northern occupied Israeli city near the border with Lebanon, The Times of Israel reported.
The protesters say that 40 percent of the city’s residents have not returned since they were evacuated when Lebanese Hezbollah resistance launched pro-Gaza operations on October 8, 2023.
The Times of Israel quoted the protest organizer as saying: “We are tired of promises. We want solutions.”
A resident told the daily that those who have returned, at the occupation government’s urging, “don’t have any work, education, teachers or social workers.”
The Israeli city faces a “second wave” of departures, as reported by GeoIntel Stream.
“Over 40% of residents (10,000 out of 26,000) remain displaced more than a year after the ceasefire,” according to the open-source intelligence tracking account.
Residents of Kiryat Shmona are experiencing a "second wave" of departures, attributing this trend to a lack of government presence and unfulfilled promises. More than a year after the ceasefire, approximately 10,000 of the original 26,000 residents—nearly 40%—have not returned.… pic.twitter.com/6i8l3EEfYX
— GeoIntel Stream (@GeoIntelHQ) December 16, 2025
Source: Israeli media (translated and edited by Al-Manar)