After Over A Year Of War, Israel And Hezbollah Settle For A Ceasefire

After Over A Year Of War, Israel And Hezbollah Settle For A Ceasefire
Spread the love

6 , 1

At 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday, a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into force. Israel accepted the ceasefire on Tuesday, ending the more than one-year conflict it has been engaged in with the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.

“The Security Cabinet approved the United States’ proposal for a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon this evening, with a majority of 10 ministers in favor and one opposed,” the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement late Tuesday.

The announcement was made amid some of the fiercest fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in months, as Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli troops advanced farther into southern Lebanon, and Israeli airstrikes struck Beirut.

President Biden who welcomed the news, said, “This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.”

A day after the Palestinian militant group Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza, Hezbollah, a political and terrorist force in Lebanon supported by Iran and designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Israel, and several other nations, began firing rockets into Israel.
In September, Israel killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, in one of its many airstrikes across Lebanon. In order to allow the safe return of thousands of residents who had been evacuated from Hezbollah’s rockets in northern Israel, Israel also sent ground troops into southern Lebanon, claiming that it was engaged in combat to drive the terrorists away from the border.

The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that over 3,700 people, many of whom were civilians, have been killed in the nearly 14-month-long Israeli military campaign in Lebanon, and the UN reports that nearly 1 million people have been displaced throughout the country.
First responders in Lebanon claim that Israeli strikes target them while they attempt to save lives.
According to the Israeli government, since October 2023, about 60,000 people have fled northern Israel, and the fighting has killed about 80 people, including civilians and soldiers.

Netanyahu outlined his justifications for the ceasefire prior to the Cabinet vote, claiming that Israel had killed numerous high-ranking Hezbollah officials and destroyed a large portion of the group’s fighting capabilities. However, he cautioned that Israel is still free to strike Hezbollah once more if needed.

“In full coordination with the United States, we are maintaining full military freedom of action,” Netanyahu said in his TV address. “If Hezbollah violates the agreement or attempts to rearm, we will strike.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati who welcomed the ceasefire, also thanked the United States and France for helping facilitate the deal.

“This understanding, which outlined a roadmap for the cessation of hostilities, was reviewed by me this evening, and I consider it a key step towards establishing calm and stability in Lebanon and enabling the return of displaced people to their homes and towns,” Mikati said. “It also contributes to promoting regional stability.”

Editor

Leave a reply

  • Default Comments (0)
  • Facebook Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error: Content is protected !!
error: Content is protected !!