UN: Israel killed over 100 Lebanese civilians since ceasefire
Smoke rises above Lebanon, following an Israeli strike, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, May 5, 2024. REUTERS/Ayal Margolin ISRAEL OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN ISRAEL
The UN has confirmed that at least 103 Lebanese civilians have been killed by Israel since the November 2024 ceasefire, The New Arab via AFP and TNA reported on October 1st.
The UN Human Rights Office has also renewed calls for a sustainable truce, despite the original ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon being agreed 10 months ago.
These calls came after Israel launched strikes on southern Lebanon, allegedly targeting Hezbollah weapons depots.
At least five people, including three children, were killed by an Israeli drone strike on September 21st that was targeting a motorcycle near Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.
UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement that “we are still seeing devastating impacts of jet and drone strikes in residential areas, as well as near UN peacekeepers in the south.”
Peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) has also been attacked by Israeli drones dropping grenades; Unifil personnel were in southern Lebanon to clear roadblocks obstructing access to a UN position near the Blue Line.
Turk added: “Families are simply unable to make a start on rebuilding their homes and their lives, and instead are faced by the real and present danger of more strikes.”
The ongoing violence is believed to have displaced more than 80,000 people from their homes in Lebanon.
Turk also said: “Hundreds of damaged schools, health facilities, places of worship, among other civilian sites, are still no-go zones, or at best, only partly usable.”
Access to education has suffered due to Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, displacing school staff and students, while school buildings have been destroyed in Israeli bombings.
It was reported on August 26th that Israeli strikes had destroyed key water systems in Lebanon, which left an estimated 150,000 people without water access, while more than 30 villages were rendered completely disconnected from supply networks.
The Israeli military admitted on July 29th to breaching the November 2024 ceasefire agreement hundreds of times, by carrying out approximately 500 strikes in Lebanon.
Three people were killed by an Israeli drone strike targeting a vehicle in the Bint Jbeil district on June 24th.
Under the ceasefire deal that was agreed on November 27th 2024, Hezbollah was supposed to withdraw its fighters from north of the Litani River, which is located roughly 30 kilometres from the Israel border, leaving the area under the authority of UN peacekeepers as well as the Lebanese army. In exchange, Israel was expected to withdraw its military forces.
However, Israel has indicated that it will continue to attack Lebanon until Hezbollah has been eliminated, with Defence Minister Israel Katz stating that “there will be no calm in Beirut, and no order or stability in Lebanon, without security for the State of Israel.”
Katz continued: “Agreements must be honoured, and if you do not do what is required, we will continue to act, and with great force.”
The New Arab via AFP and TNA, Maghrebi.org
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