Israel has kept up its daily strikes on Lebanon, despite a truce theoretically in place [Getty]
Israeli forces have killed at least 20 people in Lebanon in the last 24 hours, as the US urged for a face-to-face meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The toll includes civilians from two families, two Lebanese army soldiers, two children, and three paramedics. More than 70 others, including children, were also wounded in the attacks.
The Israeli army has also ordered the inhabitants of 15 more southern Lebanese towns and villages to leave their homes.
Aoun sharply denounced what he called “continuing Israeli violations”, noting that there were also daily demolitions of homes and places of worship despite the extended ceasefire.
“Pressure must be exerted on Israel to ensure it respects international laws and conventions and ceases targeting civilians, paramedics, civil defence, and humanitarian health and relief organisations,” Aoun said.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for “the swift formation of an international fact-finding committee on the crimes of the Israeli occupation”.
Despite the continued Israeli attacks, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday during a press conference that direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel would take place within two weeks.
A post from the US embassy in Beirut on X later said: “Lebanon stands at a crossroads. Its people have a historic opportunity to reclaim their country and chart their future as a truly sovereign and independent nation”.
“A direct meeting between President Aoun And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facilitated by President Trump, will give Lebanon the opportunity to obtain tangible guarantees regarding its full sovereignty and territorial integrity, border security, humanitarian and reconstruction support, and the restoration of full state authority over every inch of its territory, with a guarantee from the United States,” the statement continued.
Amid domestic opposition, Aoun has previously defended holding direct talks with Israel in Washington, saying that any ceasefire talks should evolve into “permanent agreements”.
He also said that Lebanon was waiting for the US to set a date for discussions with Israel, following the first round of talks, which resulted in the ten-day truce, which was later extended for three weeks.
Lebanon has insisted that before any talks in Washington, Israel must first halt all its attacks on the country, withdraw its troops and abandon the so-called Yellow Line buffer zone. It has also called on Tel Aviv to release prisoners.
However, Hezbollah MP Ibrahim al-Musawi expressed frustration and anger at the Lebanese government amid the continued Israeli onslaught, stating it was “turning its back and completely disowning people who have sacrificed”.
“What is worse than all of this, is when anyone from the US State Department speaks and announces any agreement, we do not hear a single comment or clarification from them,” he added.
“We will raise the flags of victory in all the villages of the occupied south,” he continued, saying that the government must not surrender to US demands.
Since the start of the renewed hostilities on 2 March, Israel has killed more than 2,500 people in Lebanon and displaced over a million more.
