Marwahin


Marwahin is a town in Lebanon, on its border with Israel. A group of 23 residents, mostly children, were killed by Israel during the 2006 Lebanon War while attempting to evacuate under Israeli orders.

Name

According to E. H. Palmer, the name comes either from: "a place where the wind blows, effacing the traces of dwellings,' or from "a fan".

History

In 1875, Victor Guérin found here many ruins, with some Bedouin camping among the ruins.
In 1881, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine found here: "Traces of ruins, one tomb with fourteen loculi, three cisterns, and one olive-press."

Modern period

The people of the village are Sunni Muslims.
During the 2006 Lebanon War, Marwahin was the site of ground exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah. According to Human Rights Watch, the villagers of Marwahin reported that there were some Hezbollah fighters and weapons in their village.
Lebanese civilian refugees from the town were first ordered to flee the area by Israeli forces. Only two persons survived the attack, by playing dead. According to Human Rights Watch, no weapons were found in the vehicles destroyed by the Israeli attacks and personnel who tried to recover the victims' bodies were attacked. According to Human Rights Watch, 23 civilians were killed by the Israeli strikes, including 14 children and 7 women.