Israel opens fire as 95 killed in war laid to rest in Aitaroun

In the southern Lebanese town of Aitaroun, families gathered on Friday to mourn 95 individuals, including civilians and Hezbollah fighters, who perished during a 14-month conflict with Israel. These victims had been temporarily interred in Tyre due to the Israeli military’s extended presence in border areas beyond the initial withdrawal deadline. The Lebanese Health Ministry and military had designated a plot in Tyre for these provisional burials until conditions allowed for reburial in their hometowns.

The return of the coffins, draped in Lebanese and Hezbollah flags, was met with traditional gestures of rice and flowers from residents as they made their way to Aitaroun for official burial ceremonies. However, during the funeral, Israeli forces reportedly fired upon the southern outskirts of the village, highlighting the persistent volatility in the region.

Concurrently, Lebanon’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, toured several war-torn border areas, advocating for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. He assured residents of border villages of their safe return and committed to the reconstruction of destroyed homes. Salam emphasized the necessity of Arab and international support to ensure Israel’s full withdrawal, stating that lasting stability is unattainable without it.

The conflict, which ignited on October 8, 2023, following Hezbollah’s rocket attacks into northern Israel—a day after a deadly Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel—resulted in over 4,000 Lebanese fatalities and displaced more than a million people at its peak. Despite a ceasefire agreement in late November, Israeli troops have maintained positions on five strategic hills within southern Lebanon. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel, with U.S. approval, would indefinitely retain control over these areas to prevent Hezbollah’s return south of the Litani River.

The Lebanese government has rejected proposals for joint U.S.-French control over these strategic points, insisting that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in coordination with the Lebanese army, assume control. The occupied hills, including locations such as Jabal Blat and Labouneh, are considered strategic due to their vantage points and proximity to northern Israeli towns.