Israeli forces stop Vatican envoy's aid convoy in south Lebanon

An aid convoy organized by the Vatican envoy to Lebanon, intended for Christian villages in the south, was stopped by Israeli forces and compelled to alter its route. The incident occurred as the convoy approached the village of Debl on Thursday.

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While approaching the village of Debl on Thursday, we got face-to-face with several Israeli tanks who stopped the convoy.

A member of the convoy recounted facing Israeli tanks and hearing unidentified tank and machine gun fire, which created panic. The individual expressed uncertainty about whether the Israeli forces aimed to intimidate the convoy or target Hezbollah positions. The Israeli military and the Vatican had not immediately responded to requests for comment.

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There were several tank and machine gun shots towards rear positions that we could not identify... which caused panic.

The convoy, led by Apostolic Nuncio Paolo Borgia, comprised 25 trucks and several cars. It was transporting residents who wished to return to their homes. The planned route had been coordinated with U.N. peacekeepers through an international committee monitoring a ceasefire aimed at ending the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

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They are deprived of resources because most of them are farmers. They do not have access to their fields.

After being delayed for over an hour, the convoy eventually reached its destination via a more circuitous route, a journey that took 12 hours. Vincent Gelot, head of the Catholic organization Oeuvre d'Orient, highlighted that residents remaining in these villages are isolated and lack resources, as many are farmers unable to access their fields. These villages are situated in areas Israel has designated for evacuation, raising concerns they are "threatened to disappear."

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threatened to disappear