ALBAWABA- Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health said the death toll from Israeli attacks since March 2 has risen to 4,297 after 19 additional deaths were recorded over the past 24 hours, while the number of wounded reached 12,196. The ministry did not specify whether the latest fatalities resulted from recent strikes or previously reported incidents.
The casualty update comes as Lebanese officials seek to bolster support for a U.S.-brokered framework agreement with Israel aimed at reinforcing a fragile ceasefire, securing a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, and laying the groundwork for long-term stability.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun defended the agreement against domestic and regional criticism, insisting that Lebanon "has not relinquished its legal, political, or field principles," rejecting claims that the deal undermines the country's national position amid calls for Lebanon to be more explicitly included in broader regional ceasefire arrangements.
Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji also reaffirmed that negotiations conducted by the Lebanese state remain "the only and exclusive way" to achieve a complete Israeli withdrawal and reach a durable agreement that safeguards Lebanon's sovereignty and national interests.
In an official statement, Rajji welcomed support from friendly and allied countries but stressed that all local, regional, and international efforts should be unified behind the state-led negotiating process. He warned that any parallel initiatives outside the authority of the Lebanese state would fragment national efforts and weaken Lebanon's negotiating position at a critical stage.
The framework agreement, signed in late June, has drawn mixed reactions within Lebanon, with some political factions staging protests while government officials describe it as a pragmatic step toward de-escalation, recovery, and lasting stability.
