Israel-Lebanon ceasefire latest: Hamas ‘ready’ for own truce as Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire begins
Israel warns evacuated residents of Lebanon to not head home yet
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Your support makes all the difference.Waves of people are returning to their homes in southern Lebanon despite warnings from Israeli and Lebanese military to hold off after a breakthrough ceasefire was struck between Israel and Hezbollah.
“This is a moment of victory, pride and honor for us, the Shia sect, and for all of Lebanon,” said Hussein Sweidan, a resident returning to the southern city of Tyre, one of the areas bombed by Israel on Tuesday.
But the mood was different in Israel, where many people believe the ceasefire is not strong enough and are hesitant to return to communities in the country’s north.
The Hamas group says it is ready to reach a ceasefire in Gaza with Israel after the truce between Benjamin Netanyahu and the Iran-backed militant group began early on Wednesday.
“We have informed mediators in Egypt, Qatar and Turkey that Hamas is ready for a ceasefire agreement and a serious deal to exchange prisoners,” a senior official of Hamas told AFP.
US president Joe Biden on Tuesday said Washington will push for a ceasefire in Gaza in the coming days and secure the release of hostages.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon began a day after Israel carried out its most intense wave of airstrikes in Beirut since the start of the conflict, killing at least 42 people across the country.
Imagery of Beirut airstrikes emerging
Imagery has emerged of the Israeli airstrikes in southern Beirut this morning ahead of an impending ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.
The photo shows sections of the city up in smoke, after the Israeli Defence Force issued an evacuation warning ahead of the targeted strikes.
Hezbollah has kept up rocket fire into Israel as pressure mounts on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the terms of a deal that could pave the way for greater piece in the region.
Israel strikes Beirut suburbs ahead of ceasefire deal
Israel airstrikes in southern Beirut have demolished sections of Hezbollah-controlled suburbs, as the militant group also kept up rocket fire into Israel.
The IDF issued an evacuation warning on social media platform X earlier this morning, telling all residents in some southern suburbs, “you are located near Hezbollah facilities and interests, against which the IDF will operate in the near future.”
“For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate these buildings and those adjacent to them immediately and stay away from them for a distance of no less than 500 meters,” the post said.
The IDF released a map, telling residents it was targeting Burj Al-Barajneh and the pond enclosure.
Israel’s UN ambassador says nation could still strike Lebanon under deal
On Monday, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, asserted Israel would maintain an ability to strike southern Lebanon under any agreement.
Lebanon has previously objected to Israel being granted such a right, and Lebanese officials have said such language is not included in the draft proposal.
However, two Israeli officials told Reuters news agency Israel had a side agreement with the US allowing it to take action in Lebanon against “imminent threats.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli Defence Force has this morning continued its warnings of the threats it says Hezbollah poses, posting on social media platform X the militant political group “endangers UN peacekeepers, Israeli and Lebanese civilians alike.”
The IDF has reported Hezbollah fired rockets toward the northern Golan Heights, near the Israel-Syria-Lebanon border, damaging a UN outpost.
“A message was sent to the UN prior to the event, advising that all UN personnel enter/stay near protected areas,” the post this morning said, adding the IDF conducted an inspect after the strike.
“It was concluded that the damage was in fact caused by the fallout from Hezbollah’s rockets which were launched toward northern Israel.”
Israel will have ‘zero tolerance’ towards breaches of deal
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, says the nation will show “zero tolerance” towards any infraction of an impending ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, as Israel demands the UN enforce the terms of the agreement.
“Any house in southern Lebanon that is rebuilt and established as a terrorist base will be destroyed, every armament and terrorist regrouping will be struck, every attempt to smuggle weapons will be thwarted and any threat to our forces or to Israeli citizens will be destroyed immediately,” Katz has reportedly told the U.N.’s special co-ordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, according to Reuters.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will chair a security council meeting later today, where the deal will be considered, but Katz’ rhetoric in the lead-up to the discussion signals it is likely to be approved.
Israel says any deal with Lebanon will maintain its ability to act to remove the threat of Hezbollah, while Lebanon has said it will send 5,000 troops into the border region to maintain piece.
Israeli minister and far-right leader Ben Gvir urges against ceasefire deal
Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir has warned a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah is a “big mistake” and that the agreement would be a “missed opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah”.
The leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit took to X yesterday to announce his grievances over the impending deal as the international community ramps up pressure for Israel to agree to the terms, which would see Israeli troops withdraw from southern Lebanon, and Lebanese troops to move into the border region, a Hezbollah stronghold.
“An agreement with Lebanon is a big mistake. A historic missed opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah,” he said.
“I understand all the constraints and reasons, and it is still a grave mistake. You have to listen to the commanders fighting in the field, listen to the heads of the authorities.”
He said it was “forbidden to stop” when Hezbollah was beaten and longing for a ceasefire. “As I warned before in Gaza, I warn now as well: Mr. Prime Minister - it is not too late to stop this agreement! We must continue until the absolute victory!”
‘No excuse,’ warns EU foreign policy chief
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is urging Israel to back the ceasefire deal, which he says has all the necessary security guarantees for Israel.
Speaking at a G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Italy, Mr Borrell said there was no excuse for not implementing the deal with Hezbollah, adding pressure should be exerted on Israel to approve it immediately.
“No more excuses. No more additional requests,” Mr Borrell said.
He said he discussed prospects for a deal in a recent trip to Lebanon and one of the sticking points was whether France should be included in a committee monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire, which the US is due to chair.
He said the Lebanese have specifically asked for France’s involvement, but the Israelis have misgivings. “This is one of the points that are still missing,” he said.
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