On the second working day after a ten-day closure following storming incidents by depositors seeking their funds, banks revealed new procedures that vary from branch to branch but converge on implementing more stringent security measures at their iron-plated entrances to avoid any confrontations. Banking sources informed "Nada Al-Watan" that the new measures will gradually be enforced for all customers to organize transactions, withdrawals, salary payments, currency conversions at the exchange rate, social assistance, and access to fresh dollars, without a unified mechanism, as each branch's administration was left to act as they see fit to ensure the safety of their employees and prevent any storming incidents.
According to information, after banks employed guards from private companies and allowed only four individuals to enter at a time, resulting in queues and waiting times amidst arguments and mobile tensions, some banks decided to prohibit customers from entering, prompting employees to step outside the branch to collect signatures or schedule appointments to finalize transactions, specifying the date and time. Others required customers to obtain a card to withdraw their funds from ATMs, imposing fees of no less than ten US dollars for this service.
While no confrontations occurred on the second working day, in contrast to the first, confusion continued among depositors. ATMs became their destination to withdraw their limited savings while waiting in lines. Meanwhile, employees who came to collect social assistance worth 55 dollars were surprised by the unavailability of fresh dollars.
Abu Ali Jbeili expressed to "Nada Al-Watan," “We have not seen rudeness worse than this. Our money has been trapped in banks for over two years, and the monthly 'quota' barely covers household expenses amidst the living crisis, skyrocketing prices, and rising dollar. Today, we are forced into new procedures that disregard our constitutionally guaranteed rights and our dignity.”
In contrast to the banks, electricity returned to the city of Sidon, but only for one hour, after a complete and total blackout for over a month, marking the longest duration the city has faced in many years. Reactions among Sidon residents ranged from welcoming to sarcastic and indifferent, as they had become accustomed to rationing and managing their lives through subscriptions or solar energy systems.
Local resident Abeer Jumaa quickly took advantage of the electricity, washing her clothes immediately. She told "Nada Al-Watan," “I haven't been able to run the washing machine for a month because the subscription is 2.5 amperes, and it needs more than that. Its consumption is costly in any case,” confirming, “Despite the harshness of one hour of electricity, it represents a glimmer of light and hope in a country sliding to the brink of disaster.”
Social media was filled with sarcastic comments, with activists posting various phrases such as “Maybe the company accidentally turned on the electricity,” and “We should celebrate its return appropriately,” and “Thank God I managed to use the elevator for the first time in a month; I nearly forgot it,” and “Something strange in the city; some streets are lit.”
Alongside the return of power, a bread crisis began to loom as some bakeries started producing limited quantities based on their supply of subsidized flour, selling it in the mornings before closing their doors or selling what they had of French bread or pastries. There was general agreement that there is a shortage of bread, but it will not reach the crises of the past, although demand exceeds the available quantities in the market. It is expected that the bread pricing will be reviewed in the coming days due to the decline in the dollar and the plunge in fuel prices.
