Israeli air raids have killed at least 20 people in southern Lebanon, including a civil defence rescuer, according to Lebanese state-run media, despite the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

A Lebanese health ministry statement said an Israeli air strike killed four people, including two women, and injured eight others in the town of Toura in Tyre district on Friday. Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said rescue operations were still ongoing to search for a missing girl beneath the rubble.

NNA also reported that Lebanese Red Cross teams recovered the bodies of two missing young men following Israeli air strikes on Thursday on the town of Blat in the Marjayoun district. Israeli strikes also hit the districts of Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil and Sidon on Friday.

Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, issued new forced evacuation orders for residents of several towns and villages in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah said it carried out attacks in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire.

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah remain divided over negotiations with Israel. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Beirut aims to solidify the ceasefire ahead of the next round of talks in Washington, where it will raise issues of halting attacks, releasing prisoners, and setting a withdrawal timetable.

Source: www.aljazeera.com