In southern Lebanon, at least three individuals lost their lives and approximately 30 others were wounded on Sunday as Israeli soldiers fired upon demonstrators who had trespassed roadblocks set up by the Israeli army the day before, as stated by Lebanon’s health ministry.
The protesters, some carrying Hezbollah flags, tried to access several villages near the border to voice their objections over Israel’s failure to remove its troops from southern Lebanon within the 60-day timeframe specified in a ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in late November.
Israel has explained its decision to prolong its presence by citing the absence of Lebanese army deployment across all regions of southern Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah from establishing a military presence in the area again. Meanwhile, the Lebanese military has emphasized its inability to deploy until Israeli troops have retreated.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, said in a statement addressing the people of southern Lebanon on Sunday that “Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable, and I am following up on this issue at the highest levels to ensure your rights and dignity.”
He urged them to “exercise self-restraint and trust in the Lebanese Armed Forces.”
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said in a statement that one protester was killed and 10 others injured in the border village of Houla. Another protester was killed in the village of Aitaroun and nine injured. A third protester was killed in the village of Blida. The health ministry also reported injuries in the areas of Odaisseh, Rab Thalatin and Kfar Kila.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the protests.
The Israeli army’s Arabic language spokesman called Sunday morning in a post on X for residents of the border area not to attempt to return to their villages.
An AP team was stranded overnight at a base of the U.N. peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL near Mays al-Jabal after the Israeli army erected roadblocks Saturday while they were joining a patrol by peacekeepers. The journalists reported hearing gunshots and booming sounds Sunday morning from the base, and peacekeepers said that dozens of protesters had gathered nearby.
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