Lebanese Columnist Vanessa Ghanem highlights Lebanon's uphill battle following the war, grappling with $8.5 billion in damages, 1.2 million displaced, and a housing sector in ruins. With state finances nearly bankrupt and political deadlock persisting, foreign aid is crucial for recovery. Hope rests on a ceasefire unlocking political stability, enabling the election of a president and the formation of a government to lead reconstruction and rebuild a resilient nation.