In a world scarred with the atrocities of wars, conflicts, and crises, the stories of cluster bomb victims stand as haunting reminders of the indiscriminate and enduring horrors of the 2006 July War. The following personal narratives, etched with pain and resilience, unveil the profound impacts of cluster bomb explosions on both individuals and communities.

From Zainab Qrayani, who lost a beloved husband and was left with two orphans, to Ali Hassan Zuhur, who lost a hand and an eye while tending to his fields, Bilal Baqer, whose dearest colleagues fell victim to a tragic blast, and Hussein Zreik, who had his life irrevocably altered on his 13th birthday – their shared experiences paint a stark portrait of lives forever transformed by these deadly remnants of war.

A harrowing mosaic of human tragedies

My son wanted his dead father back

The lives of cluster bomb victims in Lebanon after the July War come into sharp focus, revealing the devastating impact of these lethal remnants of "Israel".

Zainab Qrayani, a widow whose husband was tragically killed while working with a Norwegian company specialized in clearing cluster bombs, recounts the heart-wrenching moments leading up to his death. The story she recounts serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictability and indiscriminate nature of these deadly weapons.

Speaking to Al Mayadeen English, Zeinab reflected on her feelings considering the void left by her husband's passing and its profound impact on her children. Questions about his absence and the circumstances of his death became a constant refrain. Even her youngest son, only 4 years old then, approached Zeinab with a heart-wrenching plea – he wanted to dig his father's grave to have him back.

The pain was relentless, and her journey through the aftermath was marked by countless struggles. Nights were filled with tears as her children's longing for their father echoed through their cries. The grief runs deep, and their lives bear the scars of an irreplaceable loss.

"Israel hurt us and our children. They deprived our children of a normal life. Many people lost their limbs, and children died while playing with cluster bombs because they didn't know what they were. Many children have lost their fathers, so many of them don't know their fathers and have been deprived of being able to call out 'daddy'. It's extremely difficult, to be honest," she told Al Mayadeen English.

Left stranded, with no left hand and no left eye

Ali Hassan Zuhur, now 38, shares his journey of survival after a cluster bomb explosion cost him his left hand and left eye and left him with partial vision in his right eye, hearing problems, and burns covering his body. His story echoes the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability as these menacing weapons continue to threaten lives and livelihoods.

Addressing the international community, which continues to turn a blind eye to Israeli atrocities no matter how grave they are, Ali demanded that justice prevail. "Israel" must be held accountable for the suffering it has inflicted upon the Lebanese people, and the global stage must not remain silent in the face of these atrocities, he said.

"My message initially is to the international community. Justice should prevail, and Israel should be held accountable for what it has done to our people. If the international community refuses to ensure justice, then it is complicit with Israel," he added.

Wounds from cluster bombs run deep

Through the lens of Bilal Baqer, who joined the fight against cluster bombs after the July War, we gain insight into the haunting landscapes swarmed with these weapons. His vivid account of deployment in areas littered with unexploded ordnance underscores the enormity of the crises.

Bilal told Al Mayadeen English, with tears in his eyes, that the friends he bid farewell to were more than mere companions; they were his brothers in every sense of the word.

They used to spend entire days together, from the break of dawn at 5 am till late afternoon. They shared meals, exchanged laughter, and found solace in each other's company.

In the wake of the tragedy, he grappled with profound trauma as their absence weighed heavily on him. The loss of two young souls, standing right before his eyes, reverberated deep within Bilal.

Taking a walk down his memory lane, Bilal recounted his tragic story, "After my injury, I was traumatized, having lost two young men right in front of me; you must understand the impact. I used to see them every day, going to work together, so it goes without saying that any such shock takes a lot of time to recover from. Sometimes, I hear their voices while I'm asleep. In the end, they were my friends whom I lived with for five, six, or seven years, all of us hanging out together."

The shadows of the July War continue to loom large. The presence of countless cluster bombs perpetuates a perilous environment, leaving the Lebanese communities vulnerable to explosions at any given moment, Bilal warned.

"The July War continues, as there are still many cluster bombs, leaving many areas prone to explosions at any time."

The scars of the Israeli wars remain unhealed, a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle to reclaim safety and peace from the grip of devastation.

Cluster bombs maimed me on my 13th birthday, but did not break my spirit

The chilling account of Hussein Zreik, who was just 13 when a cluster bomb detonated near his home on his birthday, sheds light on the long-lasting trauma inflicted on children and families. His tale of enduring surgeries, amputations, and psychological wounds serves as vivid proof that cluster bombs are meant to kill or maim indiscriminately.

"I held my amputated, shredded leg in my hand," he told Al Mayadeen English.

Hussien's injury has deprived him of leading a normal life, such as playing football and engaging in various activities that any child would want to experience.

"You cannot but wonder who their next victim will be. It has to be some child. Look at my injuries – I was 13 years old and the oldest among the injured children. Look at those who died. Over the past two years, cluster bombs exploded and claimed more victims, including Syrians, whose ages ranged between seven and eight years old," Hussien told Al Mayadeen English.

"How can I tell you that there's a foreign object in my body that will stay with me all my life?"

As these survivors share their untold stories of loss, resilience, and survival, it becomes evident that the horrors of cluster bombs continue long after the 2006 July War ended. These narratives underscore the urgency of global cooperation to eradicate "Israel's" use of such weapons of mass suffering, ensuring that no more lives are forever altered by their destructive force.