Israeli forces opened fire on Lebanese people returning to their homes in southern Lebanon on Sunday, killing at least 22 people and injuring 124 others.
Lebanese residents attempted to return to their villages in defiance of Israeli military orders on the day a deadline for the Israeli military to withdraw from Lebanese territory expired.
Israel said on Friday that it would keep its forces in the south beyond the deadline set under a US-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah. The Israeli government accused Lebanon of not yet fully enforcing the terms of the agreement, requiring the disarmament of Hezbollah in the south and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area.
The agreement, which ended a year of clashes and months of war between the two sides, also stipulated that Hezbollah must retreat to the north of Lebanon’s Litani River.
Israel said it needed more time to complete its withdrawal and that it would not be leaving Lebanon yet, prompting Lebanese residents to march towards their occupied towns and villages.
Israel has also been accused of committing hundreds of ceasefire violations during the 60-day period, including regular air strikes on southern Lebanon and the continued use of drones in the country.
Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, said that soldiers on Sunday “opened fire to deter and remove threats in several areas where suspects were spotted approaching” but did not provide evidence of threats.
Several Lebanese people were also abducted by Israeli soldiers, namely in the southern town of Houla.
Defying Israeli orders, Lebanese people stood in front of Israeli tanks and soldiers, telling them to leave Lebanese territory.
‘We want the state to play its role’
Hezbollah, which suffered heavy losses in its war against Israel but managed to stave off much of its enemy’s ground advances, said it gives the Lebanese state the responsibility to ensure Israel’s withdrawal.
“We are in our land, and the enemy is the one who turned against the agreement and violated the agreement. And thus, the people are the ones who are liberating their land with their own hands and blood,” said Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah, speaking to the group’s Al-Manar TV.
“We want the state to play its role,” he added.
The Lebanese army, which is backed by the US, accused Israel of procrastinating its withdrawal.
At least one Lebanese army soldier was killed and one wounded by Israeli fire on the road linking Marwahin, Dhayra and Tyre.
Following and sometimes marching alongside residents, the Lebanese military was able to position itself in several border villages as the Israeli army pulled back.
It continues to monitor the Israeli army’s activities in Maroun al-Ras, Mays al-Jabal, Kfar Kila and other border towns, where residents are attempting to force their way back to their homes.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who led the country’s military before his election, congratulated the people of southern Lebanon on their return home but urged them to exercise restraint for their safety.
“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 said in a statement.
While few buildings remain standing in Lebanon’s southern border towns, residents told local media that what matters to them is “being able to return home and eventually rebuild”.
In the famed southern city of Khiam, church bells rang and mosques echoed the call to prayer as residents walked and drove through the rubble and devastation.
Israel’s attacks on Lebanon killed over 4,000 people, the majority during the two-month war between September and November.
