Ceasefire Announced in Lebanon-Israel Conflict After Months of Bloody Fighting
A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon came into effect at 4 am local time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday, ending nearly 14 months of intense cross-border fighting that has claimed the lives of at least 3,768 Lebanese and wounded 15,699 more, Al Jazeera reports.
The agreement, brokered by the United States and France, followed an announcement by President Joe Biden that a proposal to end the “devastating” conflict had been reached.
The fighting began on October 8, 2023, when Lebanon launched attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The conflict escalated significantly last month with an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. Even in the hours leading up to the ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes continued, including a barrage that hit 20 targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs in just two minutes, killing seven and wounding 37 more, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported at least 31 deaths from Israeli strikes on Monday.
While the ceasefire is in effect, significant concerns remain about its longevity and the potential for renewed hostilities. Hezbollah, which did not participate directly in negotiations – with Lebanese parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri mediating on their behalf – has yet to publicly comment on the agreement.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the deal, informing President Biden of his approval. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also confirmed his government’s acceptance of the truce, emphasizing to President Biden that Israel would retain its “freedom of action” in enforcing it.
The agreement stipulates a phased Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days, with the Lebanese Army and state security forces deploying to the vacated areas. The US and France pledged to support international efforts for capacity-building of the Lebanese Armed Forces and economic development in Lebanon to foster regional stability.
President Biden, in a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron, stressed both countries’ commitment to ensuring full implementation and enforcement of the ceasefire. The announcement comes in the final days of Biden’s presidency, with Republican President-elect Donald Trump set to assume office on January 20.
Despite previous attempts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza, the Biden administration has refrained from leveraging US military aid to Israel to pressure for peace. However, Biden reiterated his intention to pursue a Gaza ceasefire in his remaining days in office, and to work towards normalisation agreements between Israel and several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia. These efforts have been hampered by the ongoing regional conflicts.
