Israel agrees to ceasefire deal in Lebanon after 3,500 deaths in one year

The Israeli security cabinet on Tuesday approved the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon after more than a year of war with Hezbollah which left 3,500 dead and 1.2 million displaced in the Arab country, according to the Israeli Channel 12. In Israel, 78 people died – including 47 civilians – and around 60,000 people had to leave their homes in the north of the country due to exchanges of fire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah “is no longer the same” and has “gone back decades.” “We have destroyed most of the rockets and missiles. “We have killed thousands of terrorists and destroyed underground and terrorist infrastructure near our borders,” he said. “That is why I will present a plan for a ceasefire in Lebanon to the cabinet this evening.”

The agreement is based on the pact and UN Security Council Resolution 1701 that helped end the last major war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, although it was never implemented. artwork. According to the first leaks, in an initial phase of 60 days, Israeli troops would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would withdraw north of the Litani River, thus respecting the withdrawal of armed personnel from the Blue Line stipulated in the Security Council resolution .

Instead, the Lebanese army would be deployed in the south of the country with the support of the United Nations peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL. Leaks to Israeli media also envisage the creation of an international organization, led by the United States, to oversee compliance with the ceasefire and in which other countries, including the United Kingdom, would also be involved. Germany and France.

The controversy lies in Israel’s claims that it will retain its ability to attack Lebanon. Some media report that even the United States has offered guarantees of support for Israeli military operations on the border in case Hezbollah rebuilds its forces south of the Litani River.

“If Hezbollah tries to attack us, if they arm themselves and rebuild the infrastructure near the border, we will attack. If they launch missiles, if they dig big tunnels… we will attack,” said Netanyahu, who added that one of the goals was to “leave Hamas alone.”

“It is very unlikely that Hezbollah will accept that the Tel Aviv regime can enter Lebanon every time it wants to attack military objectives and with an American guarantee,” Ignacio Gutiérrez de Terán, professor at the Department of Arab Studies and Islamic to elDiario.es, tells elDiario.es the Autonomous University of Madrid and author of the book ‘Hezbollah: the labyrinth of the Middle East’. “And if he committed to going north of the Litani and not entering the south armed, it would be political suicide,” he adds.

“Lebanon is basing itself on Resolution 1701, which does not cover what Israel is asking for (the disarmament of militias up to the Litani), which is why I say that Hezbollah, by accepting the plans that would be disclosed, recognizes its defeat “, adds the professor.

Hezbollah was not directly party to the talks, during which the Lebanese government assured that the Shiite militias would respect the conditions. According to the Lebanese executive, this is an agreement aimed at implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and not a new agreement between the parties.

The Lebanese government, led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, convened the Council of Ministers on Wednesday “to study current events and developments” in the conflict.

The conflict between the two camps erupted on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah attacked territory occupied by Israel – officially Syrian territory, but which Syria considers Lebanon – in response to the Gaza offensive.

Meanwhile, Israel bombed a building near a mosque in central Beirut’s Nuweiri neighborhood on Tuesday, and the Israeli military confirmed it had carried out operations for the first time in the eastern Litani River area, approximately six kilometers from the Israeli border. This is the first time they have arrived in this area since 2000.

“The soldiers attacked different terrorist targets and engaged in close combat against militiamen” in the Litani River area, detailed a military statement on the geographical point to which Israel demands the withdrawal of Hezbollah militiamen.