A Moment of Peace

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A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah took effect early Wednesday, halting the deadliest war in Lebanon in decades, even as fighting continued “up to the 11th hour,” the Washington Post reported.

The US-brokered agreement, intended to bring a permanent end to the conflict, is ushering in a 60-day halt to the fighting.

Even so, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel would strike again if the Lebanese militant group violated the deal.

And both sides warned displaced residents – tens of thousands on both sides of the border – not to return to areas under Israeli evacuation orders, even as some residents began to return.

The agreement, meanwhile, sets out a plan for the coordinated withdrawal of Israeli soldiers south of the Litani River, to be replaced by the Lebanese army, the newspaper added.

The terms of the agreement require that Lebanese forces ensure all heavy weaponry and Hezbollah infrastructure have been removed from the area between the Litani River and the Israeli border, known as the Blue Line, CNN reported.

In a joint statement, US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron said that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon would “create the conditions to restore lasting calm and allow residents in both countries to return safely to their homes.”

The agreement passed in a 10-1 vote in Israel’s cabinet. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, however, called the decision a “grave mistake.”

Hezbollah leaders said they would closely monitor the deal’s implementation because they expect the Israelis to violate it.

Until now, reaching a ceasefire deal has been difficult. Hezbollah, which began attacks in solidarity with Hamas in Oct. 2023, said it would not negotiate until Israel ended its war with Hamas in Gaza. In September, Israel escalated its campaign against the Lebanese group, targeting the communication devices of thousands of Hezbollah members, killing the group’s longtime leader and eventually invading southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.

Now, the US hopes it can use this deal to revive negotiations for a similar agreement in Gaza. “Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza,” Biden said.

In the hours leading up to the ceasefire, both Israel and Hezbollah ramped up attacks, with Israeli airstrikes pounding multiple cities including the capital, Beirut.

To date, at least 3,768 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. In Israel, at least 78 people have been killed in the past year due to Hezbollah strikes, according to the Israeli military.