Israel war cabinet approved Tuesday (Nov. 27) a US-brokered ceasefire deal with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. It ends a 13-month war which escalated with Israel’s invasion.
Hours before the deal was agreed to, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs.
Benyamin Netanuahy insists his country retains full freedom of military action.
“Hezbollah will violate the cease-fire not only if it fires at us, it will also violate the agreement if it tries to arm itself in order to fire at us in the future. We will respond strongly to any violation of this.”
Netanuahy also outlined his reasons for backing the ceasefire plan, including the fact that “there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries.”
He also pointed to the “Iranian threat” and threatened Syrian president Bachar Al-Assad.
The ceasefire took effect on Wednesday (Nov. 27) with the Lebanese army taking steps to redeploy south and Israel’s army was set to withdraw
Dozens of right-wing protesters gathered in Tel Aviv on Tuesday (Nov. 26) evening to demonstrate against the plan.
with France and the US as guarantors
The exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal does not affect Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Israel’s military campaign against Lebanon killed more than 3,760 people, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials.
The Lebanese military has declared its “non-involvement” in the Israeli-Hezbollah hostilities, however Israeli stikes killed at least 45 of the country’s armed forces.
The relentless bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel claims it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members.
More than 80 Israeli soldiers have been killed, and 47 civilians in Israel.
What about Gaza?
A top Hamas official in Lebanon said the Palestinian militant group will support a ceasefire between its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and Israel, despite Hezbollah’s previous promises to stop the fighting in Lebanon only if the war in Gaza ends.
“Any announcement of a ceasefire is welcome. Hezbollah has stood by our people and made significant sacrifices,” Osama Hamdan told the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen.
Dozens of Israelis thronged a major highway in Tel Aviv Tuesday night, protesting for the return of the hostages as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.
Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year.
“I am calling on the leaders around the world, and also (on president-elect Donald) Trump. We still got hostages that are alive. We need to bring them all back home, do everything to put the pressure on (Prime Minister) Netanyahu (so) that he will do a hostage deal”, said Ifat Kalderon Tuesday night, clutching a photo of her cousin, Ofer, who is a hostage in Gaza.