Lebanon’s civil defence said Tuesday that it recovered the bodies of 23 people from towns in its southern region following the withdrawal of Israeli forces under a ceasefire agreement, reports Anadolu Agency.
In a statement, the civil defence said its rescue teams, working in coordination with the Lebanese army, are conducting search and field assessment operations in areas affected by Israeli attacks.
The teams recovered 14 bodies in the town of Meiss El Jabal, three in Markaba, three in Kfarkela and three in Odaisseh, according to the statement. The bodies will undergo necessary medical and legal examinations, including DNA testing, under the supervision of relevant authorities to confirm their identities, it added.
Emergency teams also transported an injured person from Meiss El Jabal to Tebnin Governmental Hospital after he was shot by Israeli forces, though the timing of the injury was not specified.
Earlier Tuesday, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported that the Israeli army had withdrawn from the villages and towns it occupied in southern Lebanon during the recent war. However, Israeli forces remain stationed at five points along the border inside Lebanese territory.
Israel was initially expected to complete its full withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, in line with the ceasefire agreement, but requested an extension until February 18.
Despite this, Israel has continued to delay its pullout, keeping troops in five key positions inside Lebanon without providing an official timeline for their withdrawal.
Israel launched its military campaign against Lebanon on October 8, 2023, escalating into full-scale war on September 23. The conflict has resulted in 4,109 deaths and 16,899 injuries, including many women and children, and has displaced approximately 1.4 million people.
Since the ceasefire took effect, Israel has violated the agreement nearly 1,000 times, killing at least 78 people and injuring 274, according to an Anadolu tally based on official Lebanese data.
