BEIRUT, Lebanon — The death toll in Lebanon from more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has reached 4,047, authorities said Wednesday, most of them since the escalation of hostilities in September.
A week after a ceasefire came into effect, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad told reporters that “so far… we have recorded 4,047 dead and 16,638 wounded.”
Most of the deaths occurred after Sept. 15, he said, adding that “we believe the actual number may be higher” because some deaths were not recorded.
Abiad said 316 children and 790 women were among the dead.
A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that hundreds of the group’s fighters had been killed. Hezbollah did not provide an exact figure.
Israel stepped up its offensive in southern Lebanon in late September after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges of fire. The exchange of fire was initiated by Hezbollah in support of its ally Hamas following the Palestinian group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
A fragile ceasefire went into effect last week and has largely held, although both sides have accused each other of repeated violations.
