Israel and Hezbollah Agree to Ceasefire in Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that his security cabinet would adopt a ceasefire in the war with Hezbollah, which is expected to end over a year of cross-border hostilities and two months of open war in Lebanon. This decision was welcomed by the international community, which has been calling for an end to hostilities between Israel and the powerful Lebanese militia backed by Iran.

Details of the Ceasefire

• The ceasefire is expected to be adopted by the Israeli security cabinet on Tuesday evening.
• It is expected to end over a year of cross-border hostilities and two months of open war in Lebanon.
• Hezbollah and the Israeli army are expected to withdraw from southern Lebanon to allow the Lebanese army to deploy.
• An international committee will be established to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire.
• The United States has given assurances of its support for Israeli military action in the event of hostile acts by Hezbollah.

International Reaction

• The United States, European Union, United Nations, and G7 have all called for an end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the ceasefire should help end the conflict in Gaza.
• G7 foreign ministers called for an "immediate ceasefire".
• European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the Israeli government had "no more excuses" to refuse a ceasefire.

Consequences of the War

• Nearly 3,800 people have been killed in Lebanon since October 2023, most of them since September.
• 82 Israeli soldiers and 47 civilians have been killed in 13 months.
• Thousands of displaced people are trying to protect themselves from the rain and cold in difficult conditions.
• The winter will be "horrible" for Gazans, who have not had basic necessities for 13 months, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

International Mediation

• International mediation was based on UN Resolution 1701, which ended the previous war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.
• Resolution 1701 stipulates that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers can be deployed on the southern border of Lebanon.

Israeli Reaction

• Protesters gathered outside the defense ministry in Tel Aviv to protest against the agreement.
• Residents of northern Israel expressed their opposition to a ceasefire, saying that Hezbollah had not been completely eliminated.

The War in Gaza

• The war was triggered by a unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,207 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians.
• The Israeli offensive in response to Gaza has killed at least 44,249 people, mostly civilians, according to data from the Hamas health ministry, which is considered reliable by the UN.