Returning home after Mid-East ceasefire

Thousands of Israeli and Lebanese families have been returning to their homes following Monday's ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Many were unsure what they would find.

GHENWA, STUDENT, TYRE, LEBANON

Lebanese officials say bombing has inflicted $3.5bn of damage

We arrived at five o'clock this morning. Our house is safe, but around us there are lots of bomb sites and general mess.

We left Beirut overnight because we heard that by day, the journey was taking eight to 10 hours.

We've been searching for food, but there are no stores open. My neighbours aren't back yet.

Since we got back, we've been cleaning. Everything is so smelly. There has been no electricity, so all the food in the refrigerator is rotten.

We left on the fifth day of the conflict. They had bombed a building close to our house and people we knew died.

I didn't see any of the destruction when we left. It was late - we were in a rush. My father was staying behind, so I was crying. Nine of us left in two cars.

My father stayed on for another 10 days. He was then told Israel might invade in two hours' time, so he joined us in Beirut.

One of my friends stayed in Tyre throughout. I used to call him every day. He was helping people.

He said in the five days before it ended they couldn't go out at all. They were bombing everything on the road, even people walking.

I've just phoned him. I'm going to meet him tonight.

VERED JAKOBOVICH, SAFED, NORTHERN ISRAEL

A damaged house in Safed

I am very grateful to the Lord that we still have a house.

In this picture here you see what happened to my neighbour's house.

We are safe and sound and very happy that it is all over.

We have two children, aged six-and-a-half and four-and-a-half. The big one is okay. The little one has turned into a baby again. He wants me all the time.

We hadn't wanted to run away.

On the first Thursday of the conflict, the college where I work took a direct hit. Then the Katyushas started raining all over.

On the first Shabat [Saturday] there was bombing all day. My husband went to synagogue; I stayed in with the children.

I am waiting for the next rocket

That morning one rocket came so close I thought the house would fall down. It was my neighbour's house. They were in the shelter at the time so they were okay.

On Sunday we looked at each other and said, "Let's go".

We stayed with my parents-in-law in Tel Aviv first. We moved around until we heard of a family in Efrat settlement who were willing to accommodate us. They were really, really great.

I know that the ceasefire is only temporary. I am waiting for the next rocket. Maybe not today, not tomorrow. But it will come in two months, or two years' time.

We are Jewish, we don't have any other place to go.

GEORGE BITAR, SOUTHERN BEIRUT, LEBANON

At eight o'clock exactly on Monday morning, the time of the ceasefire, I set off for our apartment with my wife.

I used to go back once or twice a week to check, but not in the last week because they were bombing every day.

I thought it might not be okay, but it is. I am happy.

We walked around the area afterwards, seeing people in front of their destroyed houses.

They were laughing and saying, "We don't care so long as Nasrallah [Hezbollah's leader] can keep our heads held high".

Believe me, I did not see a man or a woman crying yesterday.

Nasrallah will keep his promise to rebuild people's houses.

I asked one friend how he was. He said: "Oh, very good. I only have three cousins dead."

About 10 buildings have gone in my district. We were lucky.