ISTANBUL

The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Thursday that more than 10,000 Israeli air and ground violations were recorded since a November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

In a statement marking the first anniversary of the ceasefire, UNIFIL reaffirmed that full adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 “in both letter and spirit” remains the only path to lasting calm along the Blue Line, the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel.

The mission said it has worked throughout the past year with its partners “to help stabilize south Lebanon,” noting that peacekeepers maintained patrols, supported the Lebanese army’s redeployment and subsequent operations aimed at securing the exclusive control of weapons south of the Litani River, and assisted in clearing roads and hazards.

Despite these efforts, “challenges remain,” including the continued presence of unauthorized weapons and assets, and the Israeli forces’ maintenance of positions inside Lebanese territory, it added.

UNIFIL stressed that civilians on both sides of the Blue Line “have suffered greatly because of this conflict,” emphasizing that their safety and the stability of the area must remain a priority.

The ceasefire was reached on Nov. 27, 2024, after more than a year of attacks between Hezbollah and Israel, which began in October 2023 and turned into a full-scale offensive in September 2024. Over 4,000 people were killed, and 17,000 others were injured in the Israeli attacks.

Under the ceasefire, the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon this January, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.