A funeral has been held in a southern Lebanese village for an 11-year-old boy and his uncle who were killed in an Israeli air strike. Jawad Younes and his uncle, 41-year-old Ragheb Younes, were laid to rest in Saksakiyeh on Saturday after their family compound was hit a day earlier.
They are among the latest casualties in Israel's offensive against the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, following the group's rocket attacks into Israel amid ongoing military conflict. Lebanese health officials report that more than 1,100 people have been killed since violence escalated, with civilians increasingly caught in the crossfire.
The Israeli military did not respond to requests regarding the intended target of the strike on the Younes family.
Hundreds attended the funeral in Saksakiyeh, where women's wails filled the air as they mourned the loss of Jawad and Ragheb. Jawad's mother, Malak Meslmani, sitting beside her son, described him as gentle and pure, expressing his aspirations to resist the enemy he believed was responsible for his death.
As mourners walked to the gravesite, Israeli airstrikes echoed in the distance, casting a haunting backdrop to the tragedy that unfolded. Jawad’s father questioned the rationale behind the strike, asserting that if it was a military target, children would not have been present.
Survivors of the attack that left five injured include Jawad's aunt, Zeinab, who recounted her horrifying experience as she recovered from serious injuries in a local hospital.
The funeral coincided with other tragic losses in the area, as the violence has taken a near-constant toll on families across southern Lebanon. The UN has warned of an impending humanitarian crisis, with over one million people displaced.
Despite the ongoing violence, those remaining express resilience, with surviving family members determined to endure in the face of despair.
They are among the latest casualties in Israel's offensive against the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, following the group's rocket attacks into Israel amid ongoing military conflict. Lebanese health officials report that more than 1,100 people have been killed since violence escalated, with civilians increasingly caught in the crossfire.
The Israeli military did not respond to requests regarding the intended target of the strike on the Younes family.
Hundreds attended the funeral in Saksakiyeh, where women's wails filled the air as they mourned the loss of Jawad and Ragheb. Jawad's mother, Malak Meslmani, sitting beside her son, described him as gentle and pure, expressing his aspirations to resist the enemy he believed was responsible for his death.
As mourners walked to the gravesite, Israeli airstrikes echoed in the distance, casting a haunting backdrop to the tragedy that unfolded. Jawad’s father questioned the rationale behind the strike, asserting that if it was a military target, children would not have been present.
Survivors of the attack that left five injured include Jawad's aunt, Zeinab, who recounted her horrifying experience as she recovered from serious injuries in a local hospital.
The funeral coincided with other tragic losses in the area, as the violence has taken a near-constant toll on families across southern Lebanon. The UN has warned of an impending humanitarian crisis, with over one million people displaced.
Despite the ongoing violence, those remaining express resilience, with surviving family members determined to endure in the face of despair.
