Under the terms of the deal, Israel is to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon, with control of the territory to be handed over to the Lebanese government forces. Jerusalem has two months to transfer control of the southern part of the country, up to the borders along the Litani River, to the Lebanese military.
A monitoring mechanism has been established, consisting of representatives from the U.S., France, Lebanon, and Israel, with the U.S. in charge.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced that the ceasefire would allow civilians on both sides of the border to safely return to their homes.
After the ceasefire announcement, Lebanese citizens began heading back to their destroyed homes, despite warnings from the Israeli military, which deemed southern Lebanon still unsafe.
Following the public disclosure of the truce, violence continued to escalate, including Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and exchanges of fire with Hezbollah, which responded by launching drone attacks.
Polskie Radio 24, citing AP, reports that at least 42 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon on Tuesday, including 10 residents of Beirut. Israeli jets continued to heavily bombard the city even after President Joe Biden announced that both sides of the conflict had agreed to a ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the ceasefire agreement gives Israel the freedom to take action if Hezbollah violates the terms of the truce.
Israeli military fires on vehicles in Lebanon after ceasefire announcement
The Israeli armed forces opened fire on several vehicles in Lebanon, just hours after a ceasefire was announced between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
The Israeli defense stated that the gunfire was meant as a warning to suspicious vehicles approaching a restricted zone in southern Lebanon, set up under the ceasefire terms. It remains unknown who was inside the vehicles that were targeted.
As reported by the Associated Press, Israeli leaders endorsed a ceasefire agreement on Tuesday that could halt more than a year of border clashes with Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group. This development has sparked renewed hope but also brought to the forefront difficult questions in a region still mired in conflict.
On Thursday, November 21, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in connection with war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu could be arrested if he crosses the borders of 120 countries, including several European nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Austria, and Slovenia, which have pledged to comply with the court's legal ruling in this matter.
Source: IAR/PAP/AP/PR24/Reuters
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