Two people were killed and 17 others wounded on Monday in southern Lebanon as protests against Israeli presence continued for a second day, according to health officials, reports AP.
The protests were sparked by the attempts of residents displaced by the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict to return to their villages, where Israeli troops are still stationed. The shooting occurred a day after 24 people were killed and more than 130 injured when Israeli forces opened fire on protesters who breached roadblocks along the border.
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A U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement on November 27 had stipulated that Israeli forces withdraw from southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah would relocate north of the Litani River by January 26. Although the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers had already deployed in some areas before the deadline, Israel remained in more than a dozen villages. On Sunday, the United States and Lebanon announced that the deadline to meet the ceasefire terms had been extended until February 18.
In a speech aired on Monday, Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem rejected the extension, stating that Israel must withdraw immediately as the 60 days had passed. He insisted that any delay in the withdrawal was the responsibility of the United Nations, the U.S., France, and Israel. Kassem also claimed that Hezbollah had adhered to the ceasefire and had considered retaliating against Israeli airstrikes, but Lebanese authorities had advised against it.
Protests resumed on Monday, particularly in eastern border villages, as residents again attempted to return to their homes. Israeli troops opened fire, killing one person in the town of Odaisseh and wounding seven others across four villages, according to the Health Ministry.
The Israeli military has blamed Hezbollah for inciting the protests, stating that soldiers fired warning shots when demonstrators approached. In Aitaroun, a village near the border, unarmed residents, some waving Hezbollah flags, marched together or rode motorcycles, escorted by ambulances, bulldozers, and Lebanese army tanks. They approached Israeli positions but were unable to enter.
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Saleem Mrad, the head of the municipality of Aitaroun, declared, "Our village is ours, and we will bring it back more beautiful than it was before. We are staying." Another resident, Hassan al-Ahmad, emphasized the importance of sacrifice, saying, “If there had not been blood spilled, the land would not have been liberated.”
In the village of Yaroun, Israel reportedly dropped a bomb at the entrance to deter residents from advancing further. Meanwhile, in Bint Jbeil, Hezbollah supporters distributed flyers with images of their slain leader, Hassan Nasrallah, declaring “Victory has arrived,” and some residents waved Hezbollah flags.
Israel has accused the Lebanese army of delaying its deployment in the region, while the Lebanese military has blamed Israel for stalling its withdrawal, which has hindered the Lebanese army’s efforts. Some family members who entered border villages on Sunday discovered the bodies of their relatives. Since the beginning of the conflict, Israeli strikes have claimed over 4,000 lives in Lebanon, though the Lebanese authorities do not distinguish between combatants and civilians in their reported tolls.
Since the ceasefire began, Israel has conducted near-daily operations, including house demolitions, shelling, and airstrikes in southern Lebanon, accusing Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire by attempting to move weapons. Lebanon, in turn, has accused Israel of hundreds of ceasefire violations.