Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said yesterday that over 900 people
had been killed in Israel's over-three-week-old offensive against Hezbollah.
Siniora also said in a video statement to a meeting of the Organization of
the Islamic Conference (OIC) that about 3,000 people had been wounded.
A third of the casualties were children under 12, said Siniora, adding that 1
million people, or a quarter of Lebanon's population, had been displaced in the
violence.
The Lebanese prime minister also said that the continuous Israeli massive
offensive had done heavy damages to Lebanon's infrastructure and battered the
country's economy.
Lebanese Minister of Public Health Mohammed Jawad Khalife said earlier that
about 750 Lebanese had been killed including a number of people still buried in
the rubble.
Fifty-six Israelis have also been killed in the conflict which erupted on
July 12 following the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah guerillas.
Siniora made the statements as the OIC started a special session over the
Lebanon crisis in Malaysia.
Member states of the world largest Muslim body demanded an immediate
ceasefire in Lebanon and a UN stabilization force.