TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that members of the Indonesian Contingent for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) remain safe despite the heavy escalation between Israel and Hezbollah forces at the Israel-Lebanon borders.

Ministry Spokesperson Muhammad Iqbal ensured that until Thursday, October 26, 2023, there are no direct attacks targeted at the Indonesian contingent base camps there. "There was indeed an increase in the intensity of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah along the Lebanon-Israel borders. However, no attack was directly targeted to the Indonesian Contingent base camp," he said in a brief message to the media.

All members of the contingent remain safe, he said. "The Indonesian Contingent has a plan in place if the situation worsens," Iqbal added.

The ministry recorded 1,200 members of the Indonesian Contingent currently serving in the UNIFIL. They are deployed in southern Lebanon, namely along the Lebanese-Israeli land and sea borders.

Following the attacks on October 7 by Hamas that killed around 1,400 people and taken 222 people as hostages, the conflict spread to the borders of the Occupied Territories of Palestine and Lebanon. Hezbollah, a pro-Palestinian militant group based in Lebanon has been involved in an intense shootout with the military forces of Israel.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 7,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's unrelenting retaliatory attacks.

More than 40 Hezbollah members have been killed during this confrontation, while Israeli forces stated at least 7 of its members have died. This has been the worst escalation of violence in the history of confrontation between Hezbollah and Israeli forces since 2006.

NABIILA AZZAHRA ABDULLAH

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