Israeli soldiers have killed 22 people and wounded 124 in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry. This incident occurred as Israeli military forces remained in parts of the country after missing the deadline for withdrawal and Hezbollah's removal from the area.
The health ministry reported that women, children, and a paramedic were among the dead and injured. Despite warnings from the Lebanese and Israeli armies, and the UN, thousands of residents returned to towns and villages along the border on Sunday morning.
Israel stated that the 60-day ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, effective since November, had not been fully implemented. The number of Israeli soldiers remaining in Lebanon and their expected stay duration remain unclear.
According to the Lebanese health ministry, Israeli forces attacked individuals attempting to enter occupied locations. The Lebanese army reported one soldier killed and another wounded by Israeli fire. In response, the Israeli military claimed to have fired warning shots in multiple areas and apprehended individuals posing an imminent threat.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the US and France, aimed to end 14 months of conflict. It stipulated the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the removal of Hezbollah fighters and weapons from southern Lebanon. Concurrently, thousands of Lebanese soldiers were expected to deploy to the area.
A Western diplomatic official familiar with the negotiations stated that Israel requested more time to destroy Hezbollah's infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Initially, a 30-day extension was planned.
Hezbollah's TV station, Al Manar, encouraged people to return south, and convoys arrived waving the group's yellow and green flag. The missed ceasefire deadline poses a significant challenge for Lebanon's new president, army chief Joseph Aoun, who seeks to stabilize the crisis-weary country.
In a statement, President Aoun emphasized Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity as non-negotiable. He assured that he was closely monitoring the situation.
Last September's conflict escalation led to an intense Israeli air campaign, the assassination of Hezbollah's senior leaders, and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. The offensive resulted in approximately 4,000 deaths, including many civilians, and displaced over 1.2 million residents.
On Friday, the Israeli prime minister's office stated that the withdrawal outlined in the ceasefire was conditional upon the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon and enforcing the agreement. Hezbollah was expected to withdraw beyond the Litani River, about 30km from the unofficial Lebanon-Israel border known as the Blue Line.
The statement added that, since the ceasefire agreement had yet to be fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process would continue in coordination with the US.
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