Ceasefire starts between Israel, Hezbollah to end Lebanon fighting
US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that Israel and Lebanon have both accepted the ceasefire deal put forth by the US, which he said will come into effect at 4am local time on Wednesday amid hopes the truce will bring a permanent end to Israeli attacks on Lebanese towns and cities and more than a year of fighting in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that its security cabinet approved the deal with a 10-1 vote.
Hezbollah has yet to make an official statement on the deal.
According to a statement, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he told Biden that he welcomed the deal to end hostilities between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel.
Earlier, Najib Mikati said the international community must "act swiftly" to halt Israeli attacks "and implement an immediate ceasefire.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also told the US president that his government had approved the truce and that he appreciated his “understanding that Israel will maintain its freedom of action in enforcing it”, his office said.
The ceasefire would initially be for 60 days and see Israeli forces withdraw from south Lebanon. Netanyahu said the duration of the truce will depend on "what happens in Lebanon.”
Hezbollah has agreed to end its armed presence along the border and move heavy weapons north of the Litani River, the Middle East Eye reported.
The Lebanese army is expected to deploy in south Lebanon, with at least 5,000 troops set to patrol the border area along with an existing UN peacekeeping force, which will be boosted with French soldiers.
No US troops would be deployed to Lebanon, Biden added, but he released a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron that emphasised both countries “will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure this arrangement is fully implemented and enforced.”
Despite the anticipated announcement, Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon continued to rage on Tuesday, with Israeli warplanes pounding Beirut’s southern suburbs.
At least 3,768 Lebanese have been killed and 15,699 wounded since the fighting began.
