The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon came into effect at 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
The agreement, mediated by the United States and France, was announced by President Joe Biden and entails an initial 60-day halt to hostilities. These clashes have claimed thousands of Lebanese lives and displaced more than a million people.
The ceasefire will also allow tens of thousands of people from both sides of the border to return to their homes.
What the ceasefire agreement entails
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah was reached on Tuesday, following more than a year of cross-border fire between Israel and Lebanon and over two months of open war between the Israeli armed forces and the powerful Iranian-backed Lebanese armed group.
The agreement, mediated and sponsored by the United States and France, has not been publicly disclosed. However, a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, outlined its terms during a press briefing. Below is a summary of the terms as described:
- The Israeli armed forces have a 60-day deadline to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon.
- Hezbollah fighters are also required to withdraw from Lebanon’s southern border with Israel and redeploy north of the Litani River.
- Hezbollah’s heavy weapons must also be removed from the border area.
- The Lebanese army and security forces will take control of positions currently held by the Israeli army and Hezbollah.
- Lebanon and Israel retain the right to legitimate self-defense under international law.
- The US military will provide technical support to the Lebanese army in collaboration with France.
- A military committee comprising various countries will provide additional support to the Lebanese army, including equipment, training, and funding.
- The US and France will join a tripartite mechanism established after the 2006 war by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Israel, and Lebanon.
- This mechanism, now chaired by the US, will maintain “direct” communication with the various parties and address “any violations,” especially severe ones, immediately to prevent escalation.
Bombings and Drone Strikes Before the Ceasefire
On Tuesday night, the Lebanese group Hezbollah announced it had launched drones against “key military targets” in Tel Aviv in retaliation for deadly Israeli airstrikes in Beirut and the announcement of the ceasefire, which was scheduled to take effect at 4:00 a.m. (local and Cyprus time).
In retaliation for the targeting of Beirut’s capital and the massacres of civilians committed by the Israeli enemy, Hezbollah stated that drones had been deployed to strike key military targets in Tel Aviv and its suburbs, according to a statement from the Iranian-backed Shiite group.
Shortly afterward, the Israeli army ordered the urgent evacuation of civilians from an area in central Beirut and another in the southern part of the Lebanese capital, shortly before the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon came into force.
The warnings were issued to residents of the central Basta neighborhood and “all” civilians living in a specific area of the southern Ghobeiry neighborhood through posts on X by the Arabic-speaking Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee.
Earlier, a non-governmental organisation monitoring the war in Syria reported that two people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Lebanon-Syria border, while Lebanon’s Ministry of Health announced a third death.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, two “members of regime forces” were killed in a bombing in Dabbousieh.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported another death in Al-Arida, noting that it was a preliminary tally.
Border crossings between the two countries have repeatedly been targeted by the Israeli air force since September 23. Following nearly a year of cross-border fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli armed forces on the Lebanon-Israel border, the conflict escalated into open war, with the Israeli military launching a campaign of heavy airstrikes and, seven days later, ground attacks in southern Lebanon.
Israeli airstrikes occurred shortly after Washington announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Biden: A positive development for regional peace
US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire agreed upon by Lebanon and Israel as a positive development that will bring peace to the region and prosperity to its peoples.
In statements from the White House, Biden initially noted that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a permanent—and he emphasised the word—ceasefire in the war. He stated that this is good news.
The ceasefire took effect at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday (Lebanon and Cyprus local time).
“Permanent cessation of hostilities”
Biden said that the plan aims to achieve a permanent cessation of hostilities, and that Hezbollah and other terrorist organisations will not be allowed to threaten Israel’s security.
He stressed that if Hezbollah or anyone else violates the agreement and poses a direct threat to Israel, then Israel retains the right to self-defense under international law.
Over the next 60 days, the Lebanese army and state security forces will take control of their territory. At the same time, Israel will gradually withdraw its remaining forces within the same period, the US President clarified.
The goal is for citizens on both sides to return to their communities and begin rebuilding their lives, Biden said.
Regarding implementation, the US, with the full support of France and its allies, will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure the ceasefire “is fully implemented.” He also thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for his cooperation in achieving this agreement.
With the agreement’s acceptance by Israel and Lebanon, they are closer to realising the positive agenda of his presidency, envisioning a peaceful and prosperous Middle East.
Biden: A future where Palestinians have their own state
Biden talked about a future where Palestinians have their own state—a state that fulfills the legitimate aspirations of its people—and a state that cannot threaten Israel or harbour terrorist groups supported by Iran; a future where Israelis and Palestinians enjoy equal measures of security, prosperity, and dignity.
The agreement “marks a new beginning for Lebanon” and helps the nation maintain its sovereignty, Biden stated, adding that no U.S. forces would be sent to the region.
Efforts with Turkey, Egypt, and other countries will follow to end the war in the Gaza Strip.
Biden said that just as the Lebanese people deserve a future of security and prosperity, so do the people of Gaza, highlighting that the residents of Gaza have been through hell.
He added that Hamas had refused for months to negotiate a ceasefire in good faith, including regarding hostages. Their only way forward is to release the hostages they hold and end the fighting, allowing humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.
When asked after his remarks when specific progress could be expected for the Gaza Strip, Biden did not provide an answer.
Joint statement by Biden and Macron
The United States and France will cooperate with Israel and Lebanon to ensure the ceasefire agreement is fully implemented, Presidents Biden and Macron emphasized in a joint statement. The two leaders expressed their determination “to ensure that this conflict does not trigger a new cycle of violence.”
Israel officially approves Lebanon ceasefire
Meanwhile, Israel’s National Security Council formally approved the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, with a 10-1 vote, as announced by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office.
The announcement stated that Israel appreciates the contribution of the US to the process and maintains the right to act against any threat to its security.
The only minister who voted against the ceasefire agreement was far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. In a post on X, Ben-Gvir described the agreement as a “historic mistake,” predicting that they will eventually have to return to Lebanon.
Also read: Gaza feels abandoned amid potential Israel-Hezbollah deal
Source: ANA-MPA
