BEIRUT, Nov 27 (Reuters) – A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday, following an agreement brokered by the U.S. and France—a rare diplomatic success in a region embroiled in over a year of conflict.
Lebanon's army, charged with helping to uphold the ceasefire, announced preparations to deploy in the south. However, the military urged residents of border villages to postpone their return until Israeli forces, which have clashed with the Iran-backed Hezbollah and advanced approximately 6 kilometers (4 miles) into Lebanese territory, complete their withdrawal.
The ceasefire largely held on Wednesday morning, though Israel reported spotting Hezbollah operatives moving near the border and said its forces opened fire to deter them from approaching.
The agreement, aimed at halting the cross-border conflict between Israel and Lebanon that has claimed thousands of lives since being triggered by last year's Gaza war, marks a significant diplomatic accomplishment for the U.S. in the final days of President Joe Biden's administration.
The agreement is expected to allow Israel to concentrate more intensively on the conflict in Gaza, where it has pledged to eliminate Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group behind the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israeli communities.
"Force must give way to dialogue and negotiation. This has now been achieved in Lebanon, and it must happen as soon as possible in the Gaza Strip," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in an interview with France Info radio.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the group "appreciates" Lebanon's right to secure an agreement that protects its people and expressed hope for a deal to end the Gaza conflict.
Egypt, which has joined the United States and Qatar in efforts to mediate a Gaza ceasefire without success, welcomed the Lebanon truce.
In Lebanon, vehicles loaded with mattresses, suitcases, and furniture streamed through the southern port city of Tyre, heavily bombed in the final days before the ceasefire, as residents headed back south. Over the past two months, intensified fighting had displaced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese from their homes.
Israel stated its military objective was to ensure the safe return of approximately 60,000 Israelis who fled northern border communities after Hezbollah began firing rockets in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza.
In southern Lebanon, some returning cars flew national flags, others honked their horns, and one woman flashed a victory sign as residents made their way back to the homes they had abandoned.
Many of the villages to which people were returning have been heavily damaged or destroyed. However, some displaced families, now renting temporary accommodations, expressed a desire to avoid paying for another month of rent, they told Reuters.
Hussam Arrout, a father of four displaced from Beirut's southern suburbs but originally from the border village of Mays al-Jabal, said he was eager to return to his ancestral home.
"The Israelis haven’t fully withdrawn; they’re still positioned on the outskirts. So we’ve decided to wait until the army confirms it’s safe to return. Once we get the green light, we’ll start the cars immediately and head to the village," he said.
'PERMANENT CESSATION'
Announcing the ceasefire, President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the White House on Tuesday, shortly after Israel's security cabinet approved the agreement in a 10-1 vote. Biden said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, confirming that the fighting would end at 4 a.m. local time (0200 GMT).
"This is intended to be a permanent cessation of hostilities," Biden stated. "What remains of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations will not be allowed to threaten Israel's security again."
Under the agreement, Israel will gradually withdraw its forces over a 60-day period as Lebanon's army assumes control of territory near the Israeli border to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its infrastructure after a devastating war, Biden explained.
He also noted that his administration is continuing efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and expressed optimism about the potential for Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize relations.
While Hezbollah has not formally commented on the ceasefire, senior official Hassan Fadlallah told Lebanon's Al Jadeed TV that the group supports the extension of Lebanese state authority and believes it will emerge stronger from the conflict.
Israel, meanwhile, has dealt significant blows to Hezbollah, including the assassination of its veteran leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The Israeli military reported on Wednesday that Israeli forces fired at several vehicles carrying suspects to prevent them from entering a restricted area in Lebanese territory, and the suspects subsequently retreated.
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that he had instructed the military to "act firmly and without compromise" if such incidents occur again.
Iran, which supports Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, expressed its approval of the ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire would allow Israel to focus on the threat posed by Iran, provide the military with a chance to rest and replenish supplies, and help isolate Hamas. He added that Hezbollah was now considerably weaker than at the start of the conflict.
"We have pushed them back decades. We eliminated Nasrallah, the axis of the axis. We've taken out the organization’s top leadership and destroyed most of their rockets and missiles," Netanyahu said.
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