Lebanon announced Monday (Jan 27) that it would extend its ceasefire agreement with Israel until mid-February, even as it accused Israeli forces of killing 22 people in the south of the country.
The ceasefire extension was confirmed by the US. The White House in a statement said, "The arrangement between Lebanon and Israel, monitored by the United States, will continue to be in effect until February 18, 2025."
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Israel kills 22 in Lebanon
The clashes, recorded by Lebanese health officials on Sunday (Jan 26), occurred as residents attempted to return to villages still under Israeli occupation, reports AFP. According to Lebanon's health ministry, Israeli troops opened fire on "citizens who were trying to return to their villages that are still under (Israeli) occupation". Sunday's incident resulted in 22 deaths, including six women and a soldier, while 124 others were wounded. The Lebanese army confirmed the death of its soldier and said another was wounded.
Israel in a statement said that its "troops operating in southern Lebanon fired warning shots to remove threats" where "suspects were identified approaching the troops".
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The Israeli military added that "a number of suspects… that posed an imminent threat to the troops were apprehended".
Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
The ceasefire deal, which took effect on November 27, aimed to end hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The truce stipulated the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces within a 60-day period — that ended on Sunday — coupled with the deployment of the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
However, both parties have traded blame over delays. On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that the nation's forces would remain in parts of southern Lebanon beyond the pull-out deadline, as the "agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese state".
Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, after consultations with the US, confirmed that the government would "continue implementing the ceasefire agreement until February 18, 2025".
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron in a call on Sunday urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to "withdraw his forces still present in Lebanon" while stressing the importance of restoring Lebanese state authority nationwide.
(With inputs from agencies)