Shaky truce between Israel, Hezbollah begins

Israeli military asks people not to return to border areas yet

BEIRUT:

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah group held on Wednesday after the two sides struck a deal brokered by the US and France, but Israel warned local residents not or approach its troops.

The agreement ended the deadliest confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah in years, but Israel is still fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire promises to end a conflict across the Israeli-Lebanese border that has killed thousands of people since it was ignited by the Gaza war last year.

Cars and vans piled high with mattresses, suitcases and even furniture streamed through the heavily bombed southern port city of Tyre, heading south, where hundreds of thousands of people had been forced to flee their homes by the violence.

However, the Israeli army cautioned southern Lebanon residents against moving south of the Litani river in the night, noting that Israeli forces were still present in the area. A senior Israeli military officer said that they were getting ready for the possibility that the ceasefire would not succeed.

Lebanon's army, entrusted with ensuring the ceasefire lasts, said it had begun deploying additional troops south of the Litani—the river that runs about 30 kilometres north of Israel's border – into a region heavily bombarded by Israel in its battle against Hezbollah.

Israel's attacks have also struck eastern cities and towns and Hezbollah's stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, and Israeli troops have pushed around 6 kilometres into Lebanon in a series of ground incursions launched in September.

Under the ceasefire terms, Israeli forces can remain in Lebanon for 60 days and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the military not to allow residents back to villages near the border, after four Hezbollah operatives were detained in the area.

Diplomatic efforts will now turn to shattered Gaza. However, there were no hopes of peace returning any time soon to the Palestinian enclave. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the group "appreciates" Lebanon's right to reach an agreement, and hopes for a deal to end the Gaza war.

But many Gaza residents said they felt abandoned. "We hope that all Arab and Western countries, and all people with merciful hearts and consciences...implement a truce here because we are tired," said displaced Gazan Malak Abu Laila.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday Israeli forces fired at several vehicles with suspects to prevent them from reaching a no-go zone in Lebanese territory and the suspects moved away. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said that the group would retain the right to defend itself if Israel attacked.

While, announcing the ceasefire in Lebanon, US president Joe Biden spoke at the White House on Tuesday. "This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities," Biden said. He said his administration was also pushing for an elusive ceasefire in Gaza.