Trending Now - Lebanese Community Celebrates New Christ Statue Amid Tensions
WHO:
OSV News - Houssam Naddaf, a resident of Debel, recognized the crucifix smashed by an Israeli soldier in his family's garden.
OSV News - Michel Constantin, regional director for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association-Pontifical Mission in Lebanon and Syria, stated that only the papal nuncio to Lebanon was allowed to travel to Debel due to his foreign status.
OSV News - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked Commander Diodato Abagnara and the entire Italian contingent of UNIFIL for their decision to donate a new crucifix to the Lebanese village of Debel.
CNN - Milia Louka, a resident who fled Debel to Beirut, reported that two of her family members have been killed by Israeli airstrikes since the war began.
OSV News - Lebanese Father Fadi Felefli, the town’s Catholic parish priest at St. George Church.
OSV News - Archbishop Paolo Borgia, Lebanon’s papal nuncio.
OSV News - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The Jerusalem Post - Brigadier General Sagiv Dahan, commander of the 162nd Division of the IDF.
WHAT:
OSV News - The Israeli military confirmed that they replaced the damaged crucifix with a smaller one, which was installed in the presence of village priests.
ABC News - The family of Houssam Naddaf decided to accept the Italian donation of a new crucifix and give the Israeli-supplied one to a local church instead.
The Jerusalem Post - The IDF announced that six additional soldiers who were present during the statue-smashing incident were summoned for exploratory talks to determine further actions.
CNN - The replacement Jesus figure will be placed in a garden on the outskirts of the village where the original statue stood.
OSV News - A new statue of Jesus on the cross was installed in Debel, Lebanon, on April 22, 2026.
OSV News - Two Israeli soldiers were removed from combat duty and placed in military detention for 30 days after destroying the town’s crucifix.
The Jerusalem Post - The IDF expressed deep regret over the incident involving the destruction of the statue.
OSV News - More than 2,400 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched an offensive in response to Hezbollah’s attack on March 2, 2026.
WHERE:
ABC News - Houssam Naddaf's home is located on the edge of Debel, between the village and nearby Rmeish.
CNN - Debel is one of 55 Lebanese towns and villages currently occupied by Israeli forces and is located four miles west of Bint Jbeil.
OSV News - The village of Debel, southern Lebanon.
The Jerusalem Post - The incident occurred in the area of southern Lebanon under Israeli occupation.
WHEN:
ABC News - The original crucifix was installed in Houssam Naddaf's garden in 2018.
OSV News - The installation of the new statue took place on April 22, 2026, with Archbishop Paolo Borgia present.
OSV News - The statue was destroyed on April 19, 2026, and the installation of the new statue took place on April 22, 2026.
The Jerusalem Post - The IDF announced the findings of the investigation on April 24, 2026.
WHY:
OSV News - Father Felefli stated that the community accepted Israel’s apology in hopes it would ease their situation and reduce feelings of suffocation.
OSV News - Father Felefli stated that the community accepted Israel’s apology in hopes that it would ease their situation and reduce feelings of suffocation.
OSV News - The destruction of the statue drew global outrage and condemnation, prompting apologies from Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
OSV News - The incident was part of ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah amid a broader conflict.
HOW:
OSV News - A video showed UNIFIL soldiers from Italy carrying the new statue encased in a white cloth, which was later displayed in the town's church before being erected outside.
OSV News - Italian soldiers serving with UNIFIL assisted in bringing and installing the new statue, which was encased in a white cloth during its delivery.
OSV News - Italian soldiers serving with the U.N. peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) assisted in bringing and installing the new statue.
The Jerusalem Post - The IDF conducted an investigation into the incident, which led to the removal and sentencing of the soldiers involved.
(UPDATED April 24, 2026 19:19 UTC)
In a significant development, Houssam Naddaf, a resident of Debel, recognized a crucifix that had been smashed by an Israeli soldier in his family's garden, prompting the Israeli military to replace it with a smaller one installed in the presence of village priests. Naddaf's family has decided to accept an Italian donation of a new crucifix while giving the Israeli-supplied one to a local church, as the community hopes that Israel's apology will ease their situation. A video captured UNIFIL soldiers from Italy carrying the new statue, which was later displayed in the town's church before being erected outside.
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(UPDATED April 24, 2026 13:21 UTC)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed gratitude to Commander Diodato Abagnara and the Italian contingent of UNIFIL for donating a new crucifix to the Lebanese village of Debel, where the installation took place on Wednesday, with Archbishop Paolo Borgia in attendance. This comes as Milia Louka, a resident who fled Debel to Beirut, reported that two of her family members have been killed by Israeli airstrikes since the war began, while the IDF announced that six additional soldiers involved in a recent statue-smashing incident are being summoned for talks. The new Jesus figure will be placed in a garden on the outskirts of Debel, which is currently occupied by Israeli forces and is located just four miles west of Bint Jbeil.
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(UPDATED April 24, 2026 05:52 UTC)
A new statue of Jesus on the cross was installed in the village of Debel, southern Lebanon, on Wednesday, following the destruction of a previous statue by two Israeli soldiers on Sunday. The IDF has expressed deep regret over the incident, which has drawn global outrage and led to the soldiers being placed in military detention for 30 days. This turmoil comes amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with more than 2,400 people reported killed in Lebanon since Israel's offensive began in response to Hezbollah's attack March 2nd.