A ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, brokered by Israel, France and the US, began at 04.00 am local time on Wednesday, the 27th of November, after more than 14 months of conflict in Lebanon, with President Joe Biden declaring that it was aimed at “permanently ending hostilities”, reports the British broadcaster BBC.
Both sides fired strikes at each other until the ceasefire began.
Minutes after the ceasefire began, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) warned residents of southern Lebanon “not to go to villages that the IDF has ordered to be evacuated or in the direction of IDF forces” and promised to tell them when it was safe to return. Despite the warning, Reuters reporters reported that dozens of vehicles with belongings had left for the south.
Fighting had been ongoing for almost a year when Israel stepped up bombing and launched a limited ground offensive against Hezbollah at the end of September.
According to local officials, the war has been the deadliest in Lebanon in decades, killing more than 3 823 people.
Under the agreement brokered by the US, Israel will withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon within 60 days, while Hezbollah fighters and weapons will be withdrawn south of the Litani River – the border drawn at the end of the last war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 – and replaced by Lebanese forces.
The US and France said the plan was aimed at “restoring lasting peace” and allowing the people of both countries to return home safely.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire agreement, calling it “an important step towards restoring peace and stability” in the country and allowing people to return home.
But he also demanded that Israel “fully respect” the agreement, leave the areas it currently occupies and respect the UN resolution.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not hesitate to attack if Hezbollah violated any part of the agreement.
“If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack. If it tries to rebuild the terrorist infrastructure on the border, we will attack,” he said.
In a quick poll conducted by Israeli TV, 37% of Israelis supported the ceasefire, 32% were against and 31% said they did not know.
Netanyahu also said that ending the fighting in Lebanon would allow the IDF to focus on the “Iranian threat” as well as increase pressure on Hamas because “Hamas relied on Hezbollah to fight on its side” and now Hamas was left alone.
US officials have expressed some hope that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah will give a boost to the Gaza negotiations.
Biden said on Tuesday that his administration was working with Turkey, Egypt and Qatar to “bring new push” for a deal.
The war has been devastating for Lebanon, where one million people living in Hezbollah-controlled areas have been displaced in addition to the 3 823 killed and 15 859 wounded.
Israel launched its offensive against Hezbollah, which Israel and many Western countries have declared a terrorist organisation, after almost a year of cross-border fighting triggered by the war in Gaza.
It has stated that it wants to ensure the safe return of some 60 000 residents of northern areas of Israel displaced by rocket attacks carried out by Hezbollah in support of Hamas.
According to the Israeli authorities, Hezbollah attacks on Israel and the occupied Golan Heights have killed at least 75 people, more than half of them civilians, while fighting in southern Lebanon has killed more than 50 soldiers.