The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, warned this Tuesday about the increase in attacks carried out in recent days by the Israeli Army against Lebanon, which have caused dozens of civilian casualties, along with the "anguish" generated by the constant evacuation orders.
The highest official of the UN has declared himself "deeply concerned about the escalation of Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, especially in Nabatiyé," where more than a dozen people have lost their lives this Monday, including two minors, as a result of these bombings.
Guterres "condemns the growing number of civilian casualties" caused by increasingly intense attacks from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, indicated in a press appearance where he also lamented "the anguish and displacement caused by the evacuation orders and the scenes of massive destruction and devastation" in Lebanese territory.
In this regard, the Secretary-General of the UN is "especially alarmed" by the bombings against hospitals and medical personnel — at least 135 Lebanese paramedics have died at the hands of Israel since early March — and by the "restrictions on humanitarian access."
He emphasized that "civilians and civilian property must be protected at all times" in accordance with International Law. "Attacks directed against them are unacceptable," he insisted.
Guterres has demanded an "immediate" cessation of hostilities and has urged the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw its forces deployed in the neighboring country.
Lebanese authorities have raised the death toll this Monday to 4,381 and the number of injured to more than 12,400 since the start of the Israeli Army's offensive on March 2 in the south of the country, as part of attacks that continue despite the ceasefire in effect.
Lebanon and Israel reached a preliminary agreement on June 26 with the mediation of the United States that established the foundations for a permanent ceasefire and contemplated the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty in the south, as well as the disarmament of the Shiite militia party Hezbollah, a point that the group has categorically rejected.
Since then, Israel has wielded security reasons and Hezbollah's refusal of the pact to maintain its military operations in southern Lebanon, in the context of the new invasion triggered after the Shiite formation launched projectiles against Israeli territory in response to the joint offensive initiated on February 28 by the United States and Israel against Iran.