Displaced Lebanese residents were shot by Israeli forces as they returned to southern Lebanon despite warnings that troops had yet to withdraw.

Israel said it would keep troops in the south beyond the Sunday deadline because the Lebanese army had not yet fully deployed to ensure that Hezbollah does not reestablish its presence in the area.

By Laila Bassam and Alexander Cornwell BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli forces killed 22 people in south Lebanon on Sunday as a deadline for their withdrawal passed and thousands of people tried to return to their homes in defiance of Israeli military orders,

The U.S. said on Sunday that the agreement between Lebanon and Israel would remain in effect until Feb. 18, after Israel said on Friday it would keep troops in the south beyond the Sunday deadline set out in a U.

Israel has said that it needs to stay longer because the Lebanese army has not deployed to all areas of southern Lebanon to ensure that Hezbollah does not reestablish a military presence in the area.

Israel accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of hostages it has released, stopping thousands of Palestinians from returning to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday.

Israel is considering sending Soviet and Russian-made weapons captured in Lebanon to Ukraine, with signs transfers may be under way.

Demonstrators, some carrying Hezbollah flags, attempted to enter several villages to protest Israel’s failure to withdraw by the 60-day deadline.

The Israeli government says its military will not withdraw from Lebanon by Sunday’s deadline, in violation of a deadline set in a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

Israeli forces killed 22 people and wounded 124 others Sunday when displaced residents of southern Lebanon defied Israel's decision not to withdraw from border villages and tried to return home.

According to the report, the 110th Independent Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces, formed of deserters and wounded soldiers, had been left without support