KUWAIT CITY, Sept 24, (Agencies): The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday expressed robust condemnation of the air raids and military operations carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against the brotherly Republic of Lebanon. This offensive, that inflicted hundreds of deaths and injury cases, is a flagrant breach of international law and international humanitarian law and a dangerous threat to the region’s security and stability. It warned anew of the repercussions of the mounting escalation that may eventually expand and lead to dangers affecting states of the region. It also warned of the consequences of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza, the Israeli occupation’s negligence of international appeals, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, thus a serious and firm stand must be taken vis a vis the crimes perpetrated against the innocent civilians. The ministry re-affirmed solidarity with Lebanon, rejecting any act against its sovereignty and stability.

Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad announced on Tuesday that the death toll of Israeli occupation forces’ attacks on Lebanon has reached 558 people. This came in a joint press conference on Tuesday with the President of the Hospitals Association, Suleiman Haroun, where he announced that the death toll from Israeli airstrikes has reached “558, including 50 children and 94 women, in addition to 1,835 injured.”

“There are still a significant number of remains that security forces are working to identify,” Abiad said. “We had previously established disaster response plans, which are now in implementation, enabling hospitals to fulfill their roles in the face of aggression,” he stressed. Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) announced Tuesday, the urgent delivery of a humanitarian aid campaign for families displaced from areas affected by Israeli occupation air strikes in Lebanon. Lebanese Red Cross relief coordinator Youssef Boutros told KUNA that the urgent humanitarian campaign was launched due to the massive displacement of people, who were subjected to violent raids by Israeli occupation aircraft. The KRCS relief campaign was distributed with the cooperation of the Lebanese Red Cross, and includes food supplies, cleaning supplies, mattresses, and blankets sufficient for 10,000 displaced families, Boutros added. Boutros stated that the urgent campaign was launched in several shelter centers and schools that were allocated to displaced families in different areas by the local Lebanese authorities.

In addition, Boutros expressed his sincere appreciation to the government and people of Kuwait for their permanent positions in supporting Lebanon and for the aid and assistance it provides, adding his hope that this aid will contribute to alleviating their suffering and pain. KRCS has implemented plenty of humanitarian and relief projects in Lebanon since the launch of Operation (Al-Aqsa Flood) in the Gaza Strip and the beginning of the military confrontations with the Israeli occupation forces on the southern border areas in Lebanon. Israel and Hezbollah traded fire again Tuesday - including a new Israeli airstrike on Beirut - as the death toll from a massive Israeli bombardment climbed to nearly 560 people and thousands fled from southern Lebanon with the two sides on the brink of all-out war.