After months of war, officials say Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with Lebanon

Israel has agreed a ceasefire with Lebanon, Israel’s Channel 12 television reported on Nov. 26, clearing the way for an end to a conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah that has killed thousands of people since it was ignited by the Gaza war last year.

The accord was expected to take effect on Nov. 27. The Channel 12 report followed a meeting of Israel’s security cabinet under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened to discuss a ceasefire deal.

Israeli approval of the deal would pave the way for a ceasefire declaration by U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, according to four senior Lebanese sources who spoke to Reuters on Nov. 25.

Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, hostilities raged as Israel dramatically ramped up its campaign of air strikes in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon.

However, there was no indication that a truce in Lebanon would hasten a ceasefire and hostage-release deal in devastated Gaza, where Israel is battling Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The Lebanon ceasefire agreement requires Israeli troops to withdraw from south Lebanon and Lebanon’s army to deploy in the region – a Hezbollah stronghold – within 60 days, Elias Bou Saab, Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker, and a second Israeli official told Reuters. Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the border south of the Litani River.

Israel demands effective U.N. enforcement of an eventual ceasefire with Lebanon and will show “zero tolerance” toward any infraction, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said the Lebanese army would be ready to have at least 5,000 troops deployed in southern Lebanon as Israeli troops withdraw, and that the United States could play a role in rebuilding infrastructure destroyed by Israeli strikes.

The destruction across wide areas of Lebanon brings into focus a huge reconstruction bill awaiting cash-strapped Lebanon, with more than 1 million people displaced.

In Israel, a ceasefire will pave the way for 60,000 people to return to homes in the north, which they evacuated as Hezbollah began firing rockets in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas a day after that group’s Oct. 7, 2023 assault.

Painful blows

Israel has dealt Hezbollah massive blows since going on the offensive against the group in September, killing its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and other top commanders, and pounding areas of Lebanon where the group holds sway. The group has kept up rocket fire into Israel, firing some 250 rockets on Nov. 24.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said on Nov. 25 that Israel would maintain an ability to strike southern Lebanon under any agreement. Lebanon has previously objected to Israel being granted such a right, and Lebanese officials have said such language is not included in the draft proposal.

Israel would be able to strike against “imminent threats” only, the second Israeli official said.

In Beirut, Mr. Bou Saab told Reuters on Nov. 25 there were “no serious obstacles” left to start implementing a U.S.-proposed ceasefire with Israel, “unless Netanyahu changes his mind.”

Over the past year, more than 3,750 people have been killed and over 1 million have been forced from their homes, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures.

Hezbollah strikes have killed 45 civilians in northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. At least 73 Israeli soldiers have been killed in northern Israel, the Golan Heights and in combat in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli authorities.

Mr. Biden’s administration, which leaves office in January, has emphasized diplomacy to end the Lebanon conflict, even as all negotiations to halt the parallel war in Gaza are frozen.

While diplomacy focuses on Lebanon, Palestinians feel let down by the world after 14 months of conflict which has devastated the Gaza Strip and killed more than 44,000 people.

“It showed Gaza is an orphan, with no support and no mercy from the unjust world,” said Abdel-Ghani, a father of five who only gave a first name.

“I am angry against the world that has failed to bring one solution to the two regions,” he added. “Maybe, there will be another deal for Gaza, maybe.”

U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk will be in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 26 to discuss using a potential Lebanon ceasefire as a catalyst for a deal ending hostilities in Gaza, the White House said.

Diplomacy over Lebanon has focused on restoring a ceasefire based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the last major war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.

Israel has long complained that 1701 was never properly implemented, pointing to the presence of Hezbollah fighters and weapons at the border. Lebanon has also complained that Israel has violated the agreement, noting regular violations of Lebanese airspace by Israeli warplanes.

This story was reported by Reuters. Reuters writer Nidal al-Mughrabi contributed to this report.

Editors note: this wire was updated at 1:39 p.m. to reflect changes in the ceasefire deal.