IRIA News

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The ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah took effect on November 27, 2024, promising to halt nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting that has killed thousands of people. The situation, however, remains volatile as Israel conducted several airstrikes in Lebanon mere hours before the ceasefire’s scheduled commencement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented the ceasefire agreement to his security cabinet late on Tuesday, which was approved after some hours. The ceasefire came into effect around 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

The agreement was brokered by the U.S. and France. The move was hailed as “good news” by U.S. President Joe Biden, who had been pushing Israeli leaders ceasefire for months. Speaking from Washington, Biden emphasized that his administration would continue efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, though progress there has been elusive.

“The fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end. This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” Biden stated while 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 added.

Although the Israeli military has not completely withdrawn from the region yet, thousands of forcibly displaced civilians have begun returning to the southern region of the country. Cars and vans piled high with mattresses, suitcases and even furniture streamed through the southern port city of Tyre, which was heavily bombed in the final days before the ceasefire.

Key highlights of Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire

Here are the key highlights of the deal:

• 60-day ceasefire: The U.S.- and France-brokered agreement calls for a 60-day halt in fighting, set to begin at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday (November 27, 2024).
• Deployment of peacekeepers: Thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) are to deploy south of the Litani River to help maintain peace in the region.
• Withdrawal: Hezbollah fighters are expected to pull back 40 kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border., while Israeli ground forces will gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon.
• Monitoring mechanism: An international panel led by the U.S. will monitor compliance by all parties involved.
• Israel’s right to respond: Israel demands the right to take military action if Hezbollah violates the agreement, but Lebanese officials rejected including this provision in the deal.
• Israeli military response: Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that Israel would strike Hezbollah if the UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) fail to enforce the deal.

Celebration as residents return home

A wave of celebration and relief swept through the country as thousands of displaced residents began returning to southern Lebanon on motorcycles and cars early Wednesday. Ahmad Husseini, a citizen who had fled a nearby town, described returning to southern Lebanon as an “indescribable feeling”. Sporadic celebratory gunfire and car honking echoed through the city, as people returned with mattresses piled in their vehicles. Some shouted slogans in honor of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

VIDEO: ‘Hope’, ‘Happy’, Israelis and Lebanese react to ceasefire deal.

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect in the early hours of Wednesday after more than a year of fighting that has killed thousands of people pic.twitter.com/eLuf6EKAEX

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 27, 2024

Lebanese have also been displaced from areas like the southern Beirut suburbs and eastern Bekaa province, with uncertainty over how long it will take the cash-strapped country to rebuild these heavily bombarded neighborhoods. The war has displaced around 1.2 million people, according to the Lebanese government.

Ceasefire agreement details

The ceasefire agreement involves a two-month cessation of hostilities and demands Hezbollah withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon. Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border, while additional Lebanese military forces and UN peacekeepers will deploy in the area to monitor compliance. A U.S.-led international panel is tasked with ensuring adherence to the deal.

Netanyahu characterized the agreement as a step to isolate Hamas in Gaza while maintaining pressure on Iran, which supports both Hezbollah and Hamas. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack. For every violation, we will attack with might,” Netanyahu warned.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah signaled conditional acceptance of the truce. Deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council Mahmoud Expressed reservations on the setting, stating, “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state of Lebanon. Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Hezbollah indicated it would give the ceasefire a chance but emphasized that the deal’s success depends on Israel not renewing attacks.

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said that the group “appreciates” Lebanon’s right to secure an agreement that safeguards its population and expressed hope for a resolution to end the war in Gaza. Egypt, which has worked alongside the United States and Qatar to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza without success, praised the Lebanon truce.

Implementation challenges

While the ceasefire holds promise towards sustainable peace in the region, its successful implementation is filled with challenges. Israel has insisted on retaining the right to retaliate against violations by Hezbollah, a provision rejected by Lebanese officials. Biden acknowledged these complexities, asserting that while the agreement aims for a “permanent cessation of hostilities,” Israel reserves the right to defend itself.

The agreement also comes amid ongoing hostilities in Gaza, where a separate ceasefire appears far more difficult to achieve. Hamas continues to hold dozens of hostages, complicating diplomatic efforts.

An Israeli security official stated that Israeli forces remained in their positions hours after the ceasefire took effect and will begin a gradual withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the withdrawal would be completed within the 60 days outlined in the ceasefire agreement.

Airstrikes before the ceasefire

Despite the announcement of the ceasefire’s initiation schedule, Israeli forces conducted some of the heaviest bombardments since the conflict began. Strikes across Beirut and southern Lebanon killed at least 24 people, according to Lebanese authorities. One of the most devastating strikes targeted a residential building in the Basta district of central Beirut, killing seven and injuring 37. Another strike hit a Palestinian refugee camp in the south, claiming three lives.

Israeli officials justified the strikes as necessary targeting Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. The Israeli military reported targeting Hezbollah-linked financial sites, rocket launchers, and forces near the Litani River, close to the Israeli border.

Evacuation warnings were issued across several areas, including neighborhoods in Beirut that had not previously been targeted. The warnings caused panic among residents, leading to mass evacuations. Roads were gridlocked with fleeing civilians, some carrying essentials like mattresses and blankets. In a central square in Beirut, displaced families huddled around fires, under the hum of Israeli drones.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee announced warnings for 20 buildings in Hezbollah-controlled areas, as well as the southern town of Naqoura, where the UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti confirmed that peacekeepers would not evacuate.

More than 3,760 people in Lebanon, including many civilians, have been killed by Israeli strikes in the past 13 months, with over 1.2 million displaced, according to Lebanese health officials. Israel claims to have killed over 2,000 Hezbollah fighters during the conflict. Conversely, Hezbollah’s attacks have forced 50,000 Israelis to evacuate northern Israel, with at least 75 Israelis killed.

Little progress has been made toward resolving the far deadlier conflict in Gaza, where more than 44,000 Palestinians and 1,700 Israelis and foreign nationals have lost their lives since October 7, 2023.