Mohammad al-Khalif, who fled Syria for Lebanon with his family in 2012, recently made the difficult journey back to his hometown in the Deir Ba'alba neighborhood of Homs, a significant site of conflict during the early years of the Syrian civil war. He has been married for several years and has six children born from 2009 to 2024. Despite managing to establish a sense of normality through odd jobs and United Nations support in Lebanon, al-Khalif's family was forced to return to Syria due to the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which jeopardized their safety. He described the experience of returning to Syria as a transition from one hardship to another, stating, "It's displacement after displacement."

The journey back home was fraught with danger, taking twelve hours instead of the usual three due to ongoing Israeli shelling. Upon his return, al-Khalif was shocked to find his home in ruins— devoid of windows and doors, lacking water and basic services. He expressed the difficulties of repairing the house without assistance and emphasized his concerns for his family's well-being and his ability to provide for them. Similarly, Zakaria Suleiman Alloush, who left Syria in 2013 with his family and built a life in Lebanon through agricultural work, finds himself in a comparable predicament. Alloush, who also faced the resurgence of violence in Lebanon, lamented his return home, reflecting on the loss of familiar surroundings that have been reduced to rubble.

As both men grapple with the task of rebuilding their lives, they face significant challenges, including sourcing basic necessities like food and shelter. With over 400,000 Syrian refugees having returned from Lebanon to Syria by late September, the landscape across Syria continues to show signs of the deep scars inflicted by over 13 years of civil conflict. Many residential buildings remain marred by destruction, and families are resorting to makeshift solutions for protection against the elements as winter approaches. United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen has called for the Syrian government to ensure the safety of returnees, while also urging the international community to enhance its support and funding for the country's critical situation.