Israeli forces on Sunday opened fire on demonstrators protesting against Israel’s failure to withdraw from Southern Lebanon as per the ceasefire agreement resulting in 15 deaths and leaving more than 80 people injured.
As per the Health Ministry among the deceased were two women and a Lebanese army soldier. People were injured in more than a dozen areas in the southern part of the country.
The Israeli forces asserted to have fired warning shots to “remove threats in a number of areas where suspects were identified approaching.” Furthermore, they stated the suspects in proximity were apprehended and were being questioned by the forces.
Among the protestors were some carrying the Hezbollah flag, a paramilitary group that recently witnessed a crackdown on its officials by the Israeli forces. The marchers attempted to enter villages to protest against Israel’s failure to withdraw within the 60-day deadline of the ceasefire agreement that halted the Israel-Hezbollah war in late November.
Israel stated the reason for their extension in the area as the failure of Lebanese forces to deploy to refrain the paramilitary group from taking control of it. The Lebanese government countered it by claiming itself to be waiting for the Israeli forces to retract for them to take charge.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun while addressing the people of southern Lebanon on Sunday stated Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity to be non-negotiable. He assured them of following up on this issue at the highest levels to ensure their rights and dignity and urged them to “exercise self-restraint and trust in the Lebanese Armed Forces.”
The Lebanese army proclaimed escorting civilians into some towns in the border area and appealed the residents to follow military instructions to ensure their safety.
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon and Lt. Gen.Aroldo Lázaro, the head of mission of the U.N. peacekeeping force, UNIFIL in a joint statement summoned both Israel and Lebanon to comply with their obligations as per the ceasefire agreement.
They highlighted in the statement of the November Understanding to have not been met leading to circumstances that are not yet suitable for the safe return of citizens to their villages along the Blue Line.
It called for the full withdrawal of Israeli troops, the elimination of illegal arms and assets south of the Litani River, the redeployment of the Lebanese army across southern Lebanon, and the protected and dignified resettlement of displaced civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.
