Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Agreement Starts in Lebanon
Beirut (Quds News Network)- A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah has come into effect, hours after United States President Joe Biden announced that his administration succeeded in brokering a ceasefire agreement.
The ceasefire began at 4am local time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday amid concerns about whether the truce would hold and lead to the permanent end of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Thousands of displaced Lebanese are returning to their homes in the south of the country as the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement takes effect. pic.twitter.com/1eqxWNdGPB
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) November 27, 2024
“The fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end… This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” Biden said when announcing the agreement on Tuesday night.
“Civilians on both sides will soon be able to safely return to their communities and begin to rebuild their homes, their schools, their farms, their businesses and their very lives,” Biden said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also told the US president that his government had approved the truce and that he appreciated his “understanding that Israel will maintain its freedom of action in enforcing it”, his office said.
As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel will “gradually withdraw” its forces from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days, and the Lebanese Army and state security forces would deploy to the territory.
Biden released a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron, emphasising that both countries “will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure this arrangement is fully implemented and enforced”.
The US and France also committed “to lead and support international efforts for capacity-building of the Lebanese Armed Forces as well as economic development throughout Lebanon to advance stability and prosperity in the region”.
Lebanon began striking Israel on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israeli genocide war. Cross-border attacks persisted for months. At the start of October 2024, Israel invaded southern Lebanon.
Since October 2023, Israel has uprooted 1.2 million people in Lebanon, killed 3,768, most of them killed in the past two months, and wounded 15,699.
Nabatieh, southern Lebanon | Lebanese people celebrate the end of the Israeli aggression and the return of displaced individuals to their villages in southern Lebanon, marking a moment of relief and hope. pic.twitter.com/nHaN84A6iw
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) November 27, 2024
