- The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is leading the handover. It’s important to note that Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad, which are not part of the PLO, have not announced similar plans to disarm.
- What: The Lebanese army has received a total of eight truckloads of weapons, shells, and ammunition. Five trucks came from the Ain al-Hilweh camp near Sidon, and three came from the Beddawi camp near Tripoli.
- Where: The weapons are coming from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. The Lebanese army is stationed around the camps to prevent unauthorized entry or exit.
- Why: The Lebanese army confirmed they received the weapons, but the overall context is a state effort to assert control over the camps, which have long existed outside of government authority.
According to the United Nations agency, Lebanon hosts approximately 222,000 Palestinian refugees in these densely populated and often overcrowded camps, which have historically been a source of tension due to the presence of armed groups.
