 "The photograph shows Israeli soldiers operating inside Lebanon in December 2023. (Photo: IDF)")
Israeli forces killed 22 people, including a soldier, in southern Lebanon on Sunday (January 26) as residents attempted to return to their villages on the day Israel was meant to complete its withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement, Lebanese health officials said.
The withdrawal is part of a truce deal brokered two months ago, ending a war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. The agreement stipulated a 60-day timeline for Israeli forces to pull out, with the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers taking over security in the region.
However, delays in implementing the agreement have led to rising tensions. On Friday (January 24), Israeli officials announced they would keep troops in parts of southern Lebanon beyond the Sunday deadline, citing unmet terms of the deal.
Deadly clashes as residents return
Lebanon’s health ministry reported that Israeli forces opened fire on civilians attempting to return to villages still under Israeli occupation. Among the dead were six women and one soldier, with 124 others wounded.
The Lebanese army confirmed the soldier’s death and said another was injured.
The Israeli military claimed its troops fired warning shots at “suspects” near its positions, adding that some individuals posed “an imminent threat” and were detained.
Convoys of vehicles carrying hundreds of people, many waving Hezbollah flags, were seen heading toward border villages. Some residents, like 27-year-old Ali Harb, voiced defiance. “We will return to our villages and the Israeli enemy will leave,” even if it costs lives, Harb said while attempting to reach Kfar Kila.
Hezbollah described the day as “glorious,” praising residents’ determination to return to their land. The group called on international backers of the ceasefire agreement, including the United States and France, to hold Israel accountable for its actions.
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The UN and Lebanese leaders urged caution as the situation in southern Lebanon remains volatile. UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert acknowledged that “conditions are not yet in place for the safe return of citizens to their villages.”
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on foreign mediators to pressure Israel into withdrawing, while President Joseph Aoun urged residents to trust the Lebanese army to ensure their safety.
French President Emmanuel Macron pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to honor the agreement and withdraw remaining forces. Netanyahu’s office defended the extended presence, citing Hezbollah’s alleged failure to comply with the ceasefire terms.
The truce has largely held since November, ending two months of war that followed years of low-intensity exchanges. However, violations and unresolved tensions threaten to undermine the fragile peace.
The ceasefire agreement requires Hezbollah to pull its forces north of the Litani River and dismantle military infrastructure in the south. Israeli forces have left coastal areas but remain in parts of eastern southern Lebanon, delaying full implementation of the deal.
With inputs from AFP