A ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah came into effect on Wednesday after being brokered by the U.S. and France. The deal marks a rare diplomatic success in a region plagued by conflict for over a year.
The agreement mandates a 60-day cessation of hostilities, requiring Israeli troops to withdraw to their side of the border while Hezbollah ends its armed presence in a wide area of southern Lebanon.
“The length of the ceasefire depends on what happens in Lebanon,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech Tuesday. “We will enforce the agreement and respond forcefully to any violation. We will continue united until victory.”
In a statement, U.S. President Joe Biden praised the deal as the result of “weeks of tireless diplomacy.”
“The announcement today will cease the fighting in Lebanon, and secure Israel from the threat of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations operating from Lebanon,” Biden said.
“This agreement will create the conditions to restore lasting calm and allow residents in both countries to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line. The United States and France will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure this arrangement is fully implemented and enforced, and we remain determined to prevent this conflict from becoming another cycle of violence.”
Netanyahu’s primary motivations for pursuing a ceasefire included addressing the "Iranian threat," providing "our forces a breather to replenish stocks," and “separating the fronts and isolating Hamas.”
However, Hezbollah officials indicated that they had not yet reviewed the final version of the agreement.
“After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” said Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, to Al Jazeera.
He added: “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.”
Israel has been engaged in multiple fronts of conflict with Iranian-backed groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah. The unrest escalated following Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw around 250 hostages taken by the group.
Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas and rescuing hostages. The Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas, says over 40,000 people have died in Gaza since the conflict began, though the figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Simultaneously, Israel has been exchanging fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon since October 2023. This September, fighting escalated, with Israel launching a limited ground offensive and intensified bombardments.
The ceasefire comes after weeks of rising cross-border attacks, with Hezbollah reportedly firing thousands of rockets into northern Israel. The violence displaced hundreds of thousands and left over 3,000 dead in Lebanon, according to Lebanese officials. The conflict has been described as Lebanon’s deadliest in decades, with Israel eliminating much of Hezbollah’s senior leadership, including its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Biden said that his administration was also pursuing a ceasefire in Gaza and exploring the possibility of Saudi Arabia and Israel normalizing relations.
Iran, a backer of Hezbollah, Hamas, and other groups such as the Houthi rebels, has expressed support for the ceasefire agreement.
