The Israeli army must withdraw from South Lebanon under the ceasefire agreement concluded in November with Hezbollah. But Israel accuses the Lebanese army of not having respected its commitments.
Israeli forces in southern Lebanon have opened fire to demonstrators who demanded their withdrawal in accordance with a ceasefire agreement, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 80Sunday, according to the Lebanese authorities.
Among the victims are two women and a Lebanese army soldier, said the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
Demonstrators, some of whom wore Hezbollah flags, tried to enter villages along the border to protest against the non-retrait of Israel within 60 days provided by the ceasefire agreement- Fire with the Hezbollah concluded in November.
Israel justified the maintenance of its presence in Affirming that the Lebanese army had not fully deployed in the region to prevent Hezbollah’s return. However, the Lebanese army also said that it could not deploy as long as the Israeli forces were not withdrawn.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of having organized the demonstrations
The Israeli army has attributed the demonstrations to Hezbollah, affirming in a press release that the troops had fired to the war “Discarding threats” individuals who approached their positions. Several suspects have been arrested and are currently interviewed.
Lebanese president Joseph Aoun spoke about the issue, stressing Lebanon’s sovereignty and calling for restraint.
“The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon are not negotiable”he says, calling for trusting the Lebanese armed forces to protect civilians.
The president of the Parliament, Nabih Berri, whose party, the Amal movement, is allied with Hezbollah and which served as a mediator between the militant group and the United States during negotiations on the ceasefire, describes violence as a “Clear and urgent appeal to the international community so that it acts immediately and forces Israel to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territories”.
Avichay Adraee, spokesperson in the Arab language of the Israeli army, published on the social network X a message accusing Hezbollah of sending “rioters” and “Try to worsen the situation to divert attention from its position and status in Lebanon and in the Arab world”.
Sunday morning, he urged the inhabitants of the border area not to return to their villages.
Climbing tensions in the border area
Representatives of the United Nations, including the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the chief of the Finul’s mission, Aroldo Lázaro, have Exhorted Israel and Hezbollah to comply with the ceasefire agreement, warning that the continuation of violence jeopardized the fragile security of the region.
“The deadlines provided for in the November agreement have not been respected”can we read in the UN Declaration, which underlines the need for the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the withdrawal of unauthorized weapons in the south of the Litani river and the redeployment of the Lebanese army.
Sunday, The finish reported an escalation of tensions near the blue line – The demarcation of the border between Lebanon and Israel established by the United Nations in 2000 -, demonstrations and shots that have disrupted peacekeeping operations.
Journalists integrated into the peacekeeping forces said they had heard shots near Mays al-Jabal and saw demonstrators gather near their base.
War has moved more than a million Lebanese, more than 112,000 of whom have still not been able to go home. The finish called for the safe return and the dignity of the civilians inappropriate on both sides of the border.