Wikipedia

2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement

On November 27, 2024, a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States and France took effect, ending 14 months of intense fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.[1][2] The ceasefire has been agreed to by Israel, Lebanon, and the mediating countries, but not Hezbollah, which was not an official signatory given its status as a group designated a terrorist organization by the United States.[3] The agreement mandates a 60-day halt to hostilities, during which Hezbollah is to move its fighters north of the Litani River—approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the Israel–Lebanon border[4][2]—and Israeli forces are to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon.[2][5][6] A five-country monitoring panel, led by the United States, will oversee the implementation, with 5,000 Lebanese troops deployed to ensure compliance.[7][5] Israel retains the right to strike should it face immediate threats to its security.[7]

2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement
TypeCeasefire agreement
ContextTemporarily stopping the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the Israel–Hezbollah conflict, designed to cease hostilities permanently
SignedNovember 26, 2024 (2024-11-26)
EffectiveNovember 27, 2024; 1 day ago (2024-11-27), 02:00 GMT
Mediators United States
 France
Parties Israel
 Lebanon

The deal came after significant losses for Hezbollah, including the death of its leader Hassan Nasrallah and the destruction of much of Hezbollah's military infrastructure and missile arsenal,[7][2] alongside Israeli struggles in its land campaign against Hezbollah.[8] A day earlier, Israeli soldiers arrived at the Litani River for the first time in the war.[6] Israel's security cabinet endorsed the agreement with a 10–1 vote.[9] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the ceasefire allows Israel to focus on the Iranian threat, replenish its military forces, and isolate Hamas, while also pledging to respond to any attempts to install missiles or dig tunnels near the border.[6] The ceasefire was hailed as a significant accomplishment for the Biden Administration, with US President Joe Biden stating that the agreement was "designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities." He further emphasized that "what is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations will not be allowed to threaten the security of Israel again."[9][6]

While the ceasefire offers a temporary relief to both parties, there are concerns over the potential failure to enforce the terms[by whom?], mirroring the situation following the 2006 Lebanon war and UN Resolution 1701, which called for Hezbollah to disarm.[7] The Lebanese army, weakened by economic crisis and insufficient resources, faces a challenging task in maintaining order in southern Lebanon.[7] Many Lebanese are eager for an end to the conflict, but concerns persist that Hezbollah may disregard the ceasefire and rearm in southern Lebanon.[7][5] On the Israeli side, the prolonged displacement of civilians near the border and the strain on the military continue to drive the need for a solution.[7]

Background

Main article: Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)

Shortly after the onset of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, Hezbollah joined the conflict, citing solidarity with Palestinians.[10] On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah started firing guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli positions in the Shebaa Farms, which it said was in solidarity with Palestinians following the Hamas attack on Israel and beginning of Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip.[11][12] Israel retaliated by launching drone strikes and artillery shells at Hezbollah positions. Israel also carried out airstrikes throughout Lebanon and in Syria. This quickly escalated into regular cross-border military exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel, impacting northern Israel, southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights.[13] Hezbollah said it aimed to pressure Israel by forcing it to fight on two fronts.[14] Hezbollah has offered an immediate ceasefire should a ceasefire also happen in Gaza,[15][16] where 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, with at least half identified as women and children.[17]

In September 2024, Israel intensified its operations with two waves of electronic device attacks targeting Hezbollah's communication systems and assassinated the group's leading figures, including secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah.[citation needed] On September 27, the Israeli Air Force bombed and destroyed Hezbollah's main headquarters in Beirut, killing Nasrallah.[18] On October 1, the Israeli military began a full-scale invasion of southern Lebanon[19] although it had been conducting limited ground operations for some time. Israeli operations led to the significant dismantling of Hezbollah's military infrastructure in southern Lebanon and the destruction of a large portion of its missile stockpile.[7]

In northern Israel, the conflict forced approximately 96,000 individuals to leave their homes,[20][21] while in Lebanon, over 1.4 million individuals have been displaced.[22] Hezbollah stated it would not stop attacks against Israel until it stops its military operations in Gaza;[23] Israel said its attacks would continue until its citizens could return safely to the north.[24]

The agreement

On November 26, 2024, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu announced the transfer of a ceasefire agreement to the Security Cabinet of Israel.[25] The cabinet voted 10–1 in favor of approving the deal, with the sole opponent being National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.[26]

According to Israeli reports, the ceasefire agreement will include several clauses:[25][27][28]

  1. Hezbollah, or any other armed movement in Lebanon, will not carry out any offensive action against Israel.
  2. Israel will not carry out any offensive action against targets in Lebanon, including on the ground, in the air and at sea.
  3. Israel and Lebanon recognize the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
  4. The Lebanese army and the Lebanese security forces will be the only armed groups authorized to operate in southern Lebanon.
  5. Sale, supply and production of weapons in Lebanon will be under the supervision and control of the Lebanese government.
  6. All unauthorized facilities involved in the production of weapons and their accessories will be dismantled, as well as infrastructure and military positions. Unauthorized weapons that do not comply with these obligations will be confiscated.
  7. A committee will be established that will be acceptable to Israel and Lebanon, which will supervise and assist in ensuring the enforcement of the agreement. The enforcement will involve, among others, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
  8. Israel and Lebanon will report any possible violation of the commitments to the aforementioned committee and UNIFIL.
  9. Lebanese military forces will be deployed along all borders and crossing points in the country.
  10. Israel will gradually withdraw its forces into Israeli territory in a period of up to 60 days.
  11. During this period of time, Hezbollah operatives will withdraw to the north of the Litani River, while the armed forces that will be allowed to stay in this area will be the Lebanese Armed Forces and the UNIFIL force.
  12. Israel will retain "complete military freedom of action" to attack Lebanon in the event of a violation of the agreement by Hezbollah or another entity in Lebanon.
  13. A buffer zone will not be established between the villages of South Lebanon and the settlements on the conflict line.
  14. The US will promote indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon to reach a recognized land border.

According to Lebanese reports, a Lebanese government source reported that if no escalations or breaches of the agreement occur by 10 a.m. local time on November 27, 2024, the ceasefire agreement will go into effect.[27][28] Prime Minister of Lebanon Najib Mikati issued strong support for the agreement and urged the international community to help implement the agreement immediately in order to "halt Israeli aggression".[25]

Aftermath

Following the implementation of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to not allow Hezbollah members and Lebanese civilians to return to southern Lebanon. Following the order, the IDF's Arabic spokesman, Avichay Adraee, warned civilians to not return to their homes in southern Lebanon. The IDF fired warning shots at vehicles approaching Kafr Kila, shot several people in Mais al-Jabal, and detained four alleged Hezbollah members who approached their positions.[29] Despite the warnings, thousands of displaced Lebanese families began to return to their homes in southern Lebanon.[30]

Political context

In a public announcement on Israeli television following deliberation of the ceasefire terms, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted his support for the deal on the basis that a ceasefire would allow the Israeli Defense Forces to focus primarily on Gaza Strip operations against Hamas and towards the "Iranian threat". He stated that "we are changing the face of the region".[25]

He further stated that the ceasefire was considered due to claimed Israeli success in the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon because Hezbollah was "no longer the same group that launched a war against us", and that the Israeli Defense Forces had "set them back decades". He stated that the Israeli army had achieved many of its goals in the invasion and airstrikes by killing most of Hezbollah's leadership and destroying large numbers of Lebanese infrastructure linked to them.[25]

Reactions

Israel

Former Israeli consul-general and ambassador Alon Pinkas deemed the deal "unenforceable" due to it assuming that the Lebanese army will supervise weapon production and distribution. He described this assumption as "impossible" due to Hezbollah's independence from the Lebanese army in weapon distribution and inability to cooperate.[25]

Israeli Security Minister and far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed dissatisfaction with the ceasefire deal due to it not providing Israel with a "security belt", not allowing Israelis to return to Northern Israel, and not providing the Lebanese army resistance against Hezbollah.[25]

Middle East

  •   Lebanon: Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for unity in Lebanon after the "most cruel phase in Lebanese history," stressing that the Lebanese army should provide security in southern Lebanon and that Israel abides by the deal and withdraws from Lebanese territory. He said that he hoped for a "new page" after the ceasefire.[31]
  •   Iran: Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghael welcomed the ceasefire agreement hoping it would end Israeli attacks on Lebanon.[32]
  •   Hamas: Hamas stated that it is "committed to cooperating with any effort to reach a ceasefire in Gaza," and that it "appreciates" Hezbollah's right to form a deal protecting Lebanese people.[31]
  •   Palestinian Authority: The Palestinian presidency expressed hope that the ceasefire will "contribute to stopping the violence and instability that the region is suffering from."[31]

Al Jazeera political analyst Marwan Bishara called the deal a "very temporary, fragile truce" due to it allowing Israel to resume military operations at any perceived provocation by Hezbollah and Israel's continued commitment to breaking down Hezbollah.[25]

International

  •   United States: Secretary of State Antony Blinken, praised the agreement and spoke with optimism that this ceasefire could also be a framework for a ceasefire in Gaza.[34] President Joe Biden and President of France Emmanuel Macron released a joint statement praising the agreement, saying that it will "secure Israel from the threat of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations operating from Lebanon". [35]
  •   United Kingdom: Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised a "long overdue" ceasefire that would "provide some measure of relief to the civilian populations" of Lebanon and Israel.[31]
  •   Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered his support for the ceasefire and stressed the importance that all sides stick "to what has been agreed".[36]
  •   United Nations: A top official confirmed the ceasefire and warned that "considerable work lies ahead" to implement the ceasefire deal.[31]

See also

References

  1. ^ Coote, Darryl; Godfrey, Paul (27 November 2024). "Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire: Displaced Lebanese begin to head home as guns, bombs fall silent". United Press International. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Geller, Adam (26 November 2024). "What to know about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah". AP News. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  3. ^ Livni, Ephrat (27 November 2024). "What to Know About the Israel-Hezbollah Cease-Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  4. ^ Picheta, Rob; Robinson, Lou; Pettersson, Henrik; Warnes, Soph (27 November 2024). "A visual guide to Israel and Hezbollah's ceasefire deal". CNN. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Rasmussen, Sune Engel (27 November 2024). "The Impossible Mission to Enforce an Israel-Hezbollah Cease-Fire". The Wall Street Journal.
  6. ^ a b c d Diamond, Jeremy; Edwards, Christian; Qiblawi, Tamara; Yosef, Eugenia (26 November 2024). "Israeli security cabinet approves Lebanon ceasefire deal, after 11th-hour strikes on central Beirut". CNN. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Israel and Hizbullah strike a fragile deal to end their war". The Economist. 26 November 2024. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Israel bogged down in southern Lebanon: '50,000 soldiers have not been able to conquer a single village'". El País. 5 November 2024.
  9. ^ a b Gebeily, Maya; Taher, Aziz (27 November 2024). "Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire holds in first hours, Lebanese civilians start to return home". Reuters.
  10. ^ "Hezbollah fires on Israel after several members killed in shelling". Al Jazeera. Al-Jazeera.
  11. ^ Goldenberg, Tia; Shurafa, Wafaa (8 October 2023). "Hezbollah and Israel exchange fire as Israeli soldiers battle Hamas on second day of surprise attack". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Israel, Hezbollah exchange artillery, rocket fire". Reuters. 8 October 2023. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Hezbollah bombards Israeli positions in disputed area along border with Syria's Golan Heights". AP News. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  14. ^ Stroul, Dana (23 September 2024). "Israel and Hezbollah Are Escalating Toward Catastrophe". Foreign Affairs. ISSN 0015-7120. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Hezbollah warns of regional war if Gaza bombing goes on". BBC News. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Violence escalates between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah amid Gaza assault". Al Jazeera. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  17. ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (17 September 2024). "Gaza publishes identities of 34,344 Palestinians killed in war with Israel". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Hezbollah confirms its leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike". Associated Press. 28 September 2024. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  19. ^
  20. ^ "Around one million Lebanese displaced by Israeli attacks, official says". Ynetnews. Reuters. 28 September 2024. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Dangerous stasis on Israel's northern border leaves evacuees in limbo". Reuters. 11 January 2024. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  22. ^ "110,099 displaced from southern Lebanon since Oct. 8, 2023". L'Orient Today. 19 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Mapping 11 months of Israel-Lebanon cross-border attacks". Al Jazeera. 11 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  24. ^ Gorani, Hala; Smith, Alexander (26 November 2024). "Israel's Cabinet approves ceasefire deal at Netanyahu's urging". NBC News. NBCUniversal Media. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h Quillen, Stephen (26 November 2024). "Israel PM Netanyahu announces ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  26. ^ Berman, Lazar (26 November 2024). "Security cabinet votes 10–1 to approve Lebanon ceasefire deal". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  27. ^ a b Eichner, Itamar (25 November 2024). "הנסיגה מדרום לבנון, חופש הפעולה נגד חיזבאללה – ומסמך הצד: פרטי ההסכם עם לבנון" [The withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the freedom of action against Hezbollah – and the side document: the details of the agreement with Lebanon]. Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  28. ^ a b Barsky, Anna; Shafer, Bar (25 November 2024). "דיווח: הפסקת אש בלבנון תוך 36 שעות; אלו פרטי ההסכם המסתמן" [Report: ceasefire in Lebanon within 36 hours; These are the details of the emerging agreement]. www.maariv.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  29. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (27 November 2024). "IDF fires at suspects as Lebanese return to villages where troops still deployed". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  30. ^ "Thousands return to southern Lebanon amid uneasy ceasefire". The Guardian. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  31. ^ a b c d e "A 'new page': World reacts to Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire". Al Jazeera. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  32. ^ "Iran Welcomes End Of Israel 'Aggression' In Lebanon: Foreign Ministry". www.barrons.com. Agence France Presse. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  33. ^ Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (26 November 2024). "Prospect of Lebanon ceasefire leaves Gazans feeling abandoned". Reuters. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  34. ^ Sarisohn, Hannah (26 November 2024). "Antony Blinken: Lebanese ceasefire could have 'very positive effects' on ending conflict in Gaza". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  35. ^ "Joint Statement from President Biden of the United States and President Macron of France Announcing a Cessation of Hostilities". whitehouse.gov. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  36. ^ "Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire begins; Biden vows 'another push' on Gaza deal". The Washington Post. 27 November 2024.
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