UN Peacekeepers on the Ground: Searching for Hezbollah Positions
The BBC has been granted rare access to an operation conducted by United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. French troops, forming part of the multinational UN force known as UNIFIL, were observed carrying out searches for positions previously utilized by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah to launch attacks against Israel.
This operation is part of ongoing efforts to uphold a ceasefire agreement reached six months ago, which brought an end to more than a year of intense cross-border conflict. The terms of this truce stipulated that Hezbollah would withdraw its fighters and weapons from southern Lebanon, allowing the Lebanese army to deploy thousands of soldiers to the area. Concurrently, Israel agreed to withdraw its troops that had entered the country during the war.
Understanding Ceasefire Violations: UNIFIL’s Perspective
However, maintaining the fragile ceasefire has proven challenging, with both sides reporting violations. According to Kandice Ardial, the deputy spokesperson for UNIFIL, the most significant breaches of the agreement observed by the peacekeeping force originate “from the Israeli side.”
Ardial specifically highlighted:
Frequent Israeli air strikes hitting targets within Lebanon.
Constant infiltrations of Lebanese airspace by Israeli drones and fighter jets.
- The persistent presence of Israeli soldiers at five specific points inside Lebanese territory.
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The Devastating Civilian Toll
These ongoing hostilities have had a tragic impact on civilians. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented that at least 71 civilians in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli air strikes since the ceasefire took effect. This grim count includes 14 women and nine children.
Israel’s Justification and Lebanon’s Plea
Israel maintains that its military actions and troop presence are necessary for security. It states it is targeting Hezbollah members and positions that pose a threat and that its soldiers are positioned to guarantee the security of northern Israeli communities.
In contrast, the Lebanese government vehemently argues that Israel’s continued presence and strikes constitute a clear breach of the ceasefire agreement and a violation of Lebanon’s national sovereignty. Beirut has issued urgent calls to the international community, pleading for pressure to be applied on Israel to withdraw its troops from occupied locations and cease its offensive actions.
The UNIFIL mission, including the efforts of troops like those observed from France, continues its complex and vital work monitoring the border region amidst these ongoing tensions and differing interpretations of the ceasefire terms.
