BEIRUT, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from Israeli attacks on crowds of Lebanese trying to return to their homes in southern Lebanon has risen to 22, including six women, with 124 others injured, the Lebanese Health Ministry said Sunday.

 

The injured included 12 women and a paramedic from the Islamic Scout Association, who was carrying out a humanitarian rescue mission, the ministry said in a statement.

 

A Lebanese military source told Xinhua that an Israeli force, backed by a Merkava tank and a bulldozer, advanced towards a gathering of civilians in the village of Mays al-Jabal, and "fired heavily to intimidate and disperse the residents."

 

The Israeli military also blocked the main road at the entrance of the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon located in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, the source said, adding that the military fired several flares over Mays al-Jabal and the Arqoub Heights in eastern Lebanon, and launched machine-gun fire toward Mount Sadaneh, west of Shebaa, in southeastern Lebanon.

 

Sunday marks the end of a 60-day deadline for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territories. Under a ceasefire agreement reached in late November after months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, the Lebanese army would take control of the areas south of the Litani River, ensuring its security and preventing any presence of weapons and militants.