Israeli gunfire kills over 20 Lebanese civilians as they attempt to return home Injury toll is grim

On January 26, at least 22 Lebanese civilians, including six women, were killed, and 124 others were injured by Israeli gunfire as residents attempted to return to their homes in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The fatalities occurred in multiple towns, with three reported in Aitaroun, three in Hula, four in Markaba, and two in Mays al-Jabal, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Additional deaths were recorded in al-Adisa, Blida, Kfarkila, and Dahira, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) confirmed.

The escalation follows the expiration of a 60-day deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon as stipulated under a fragile ceasefire agreement. The Israeli army has remained in the territory, citing "security concerns."

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called for calm, urging residents in the south to "exercise restraint and trust in the armed forces."

He emphasized Lebanon's commitment to sovereignty, stating, "Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable, and I am following this issue at the highest levels to ensure your rights and dignity."

Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam echoed the president’s sentiments, expressing "full confidence" in the Lebanese Armed Forces to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and ensure the safe return of displaced residents.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged international actors sponsoring the ceasefire agreement to pressure Israel to withdraw. “The international community must take immediate action to compel the enemy to retreat from our land,” he said.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri condemned the killings, describing them as "an urgent call for action" to enforce the ceasefire terms and protect Lebanese civilians.

In response, the Israeli military claimed it opened fire to "deter and eliminate threats in several areas" in southern Lebanon. The army reported that several suspects had been arrested and insisted its operations were in line with "understandings between Israel and Lebanon."

Israeli forces remain deployed in the region, defying the ceasefire agreement's requirement for withdrawal south of the Blue Line, a de facto border established by the United Nations.

The ceasefire, which took effect on November 27, 2024, ended a period of intense conflict that began with mutual shelling on October 8, 2023, and escalated into full-scale war on September 23, 2024. The agreement mandated Israel’s phased withdrawal and the Lebanese army’s deployment in the south within 60 days.

Since the onset of Israeli operations on October 8, 2023, the Lebanese Health Ministry reports that at least 4,068 people have been killed and 16,670 injured, including women, children, and health workers.

By Khagan Isayev