US President Donald Trump announced on 16 April that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, which took effect on the same day. Trump urged Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon which has been exchanging fire with Israel for the past six weeks, to abide by the ceasefire, saying he hoped it "acts nicely and well during this important period of time". On Thursday, he announced the truce would be extended by three weeks after fresh talks between the countries' envoys in Washington.
Here is what we know about the ceasefire. The terms of the initial deal specified that the ceasefire would last for 10 days, with the possibility of it being "extended by mutual agreement" if negotiations showed signs of progress. According to further details provided by the US State Department: The statement added that the truce was a "gesture of goodwill" by Israel intended to enable "good-faith negotiations towards a permanent security and peace agreement" between the two parties.
Israel and Lebanon's leaders have both welcomed the truce, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it an "opportunity to make a historic peace agreement". Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said: "We all stand before a new phase: the transition from working towards a ceasefire to working towards permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation." Hezbollah also signalled a willingness to participate in the ceasefire but said it must include "a comprehensive halt to attacks" across Lebanon and "no freedom of movement for Israeli forces". When asked about disarmament, senior Hezbollah leader Wafiq Safa told the BBC: "Not until a proper ceasefire, a real one.
Not until Israeli withdrawal." The Iran-backed group, while deeply embedded in Lebanon, is not part of the Lebanese government's security apparatus. UN Secretary General António Guterres commended the role of the US in facilitating the deal and urged all parties to "fully respect" and "comply with international law at all times". European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, called the deal a "relief", saying Europe would continue to "call for the full respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity".
Despite the agreement, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops would remain stationed 10km-deep (6.2 miles) into southern Lebanon. UN figures show that across Lebanon, more than 1.2 million people have been displaced, the majority of these from the south. Israel re-entered southern Lebanon after strikes by Hezbollah in early March, describing the area it is occupying as a "security zone".
"We are there, and we are not leaving," Netanyahu said this week. Israel's defence minister previously said the occupied area would go up to the Litani River in southern Lebanon - about 30km from the border with Israel. He also said all houses in Lebanese villages near the Israeli border would be demolished.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
