Relief and hope as Lebanon wakes to ceasefire, but challenges ahead
Lebanon awoke to a ceasefire on Wednesday as Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia halted fighting, with displaced residents returning home despite warnings that a new outbreak of violence could erupt from any breaches of the agreement.
Almost two months after Israel launched its ground invasion of southern Lebanon, a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France took effect at 4 am (0200 GMT).
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah – which began in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas – has left thousands killed and more than 1 million displaced in Lebanon, while residents of northern Israel were also forced to flee due to constant rocket fire.
Hours after the ceasefire came into force, long traffic jams had already formed on roads to southern Lebanon as civilians rushed to return home, even as an Israeli military spokesman cautioned civilians to stay away from specific areas until the ceasefire conditions are met.
Clean-up operations were also beginning in Beirut, where acting Public Works Minister Ali Hamie said construction work was under way to reopen roads from the centre of the Lebanese capital to the bombed-out southern suburbs.
Eyewitnesses said excavators and clearing vehicles were already at work removing rubble in the suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold that suffered extensive damage from Israeli airstrikes.
Displaced residents were returning to the area, with one woman telling dpa: “I lost my house, but I feel victory that I am back to the rubble of my house.”
Amid the emotional scenes, a Lebanese TV reporter who was displaced from her own home cried on air as she witnessed the rush of returning families.
Hard work ahead
While affected civilians, Lebanese officials and governments around the world reacted with joy as the ceasefire took hold, the path to a lasting peace in the region remains difficult, even as fighting continues in the Gaza Strip.
Under the terms of the deal, Israel is to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah fighters are to return behind the Litani River in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which marked the end of the last war in Lebanon in 2006 but was never fully implemented.
Reports say that a total of 10,000 soldiers from the Lebanese Army – which has remained neutral in the conflict – are to be stationed in the border area.
The agreement is also to be monitored by a group of states led by the United States, along with France, Lebanon, Israel and peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the Lebanese government was determined to implement the terms of the UN resolution and demanded that Israel comply with the terms of the ceasefire.
In a post on X, the Lebanese Army said it was taking the “necessary measures” to implement the ceasefire, which was believed to be holding on Wednesday.
The situation in the region remains tense, with the Israeli military reporting an incident following the ceasefire.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said soldiers had “identified a vehicle with several suspects in a zone prohibited for movement in Lebanese territory.”
“IDF troops fired to prevent them from advancing, and the suspects left the area,” the statement added. “The IDF will operate against anyone who attempts to breach the ceasefire agreement and will continue to protect the citizens of Israel.”
Israeli broadcaster Kan reported that eight vehicles and a motorcycle with Hezbollah members had entered the area of Kafr Kila near the border with Israel.
Defence Minister Israel Katz announced he had instructed the army to “take decisive and uncompromising action” in response to the incident.
If Israeli troops were in danger, they would have to attack, he warned.
Speaker calls for displaced Lebanese to return home
The ceasefire deal was formally announced on Tuesday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden.
It was negotiated on behalf of Hezbollah by Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, who held lengthy talks with US envoy Amos Hochstein.
On Wednesday, Berri celebrated the agreement and called on displaced Lebanese to return to their homes across the country, despite warnings by the Lebanese Army for civilians to remain patient as Israeli troops withdraw from the area.
“We thank the displaced and the people who have welcomed them with compassion and solidarity,” Berri said in a televised speech. “Return to your land … even if you live above the rubble.”
“We turn the page today on a historical moment that was the most dangerous for Lebanon and threatened its people and history,” Berri added.
Further global reaction
Reaction also continued to pour in from across the region and worldwide on Wednesday.
Iran – the principal backer of the Shiite Hezbollah movement – welcomed the ceasefire and said it would continue to support “the government, the people and the resistance in Lebanon.”
Yemen’s Houthi movement, another Iranian-backed ally of Hezbollah, said the ceasefire was a sign of the strength of the anti-Israel alliance.
“The Israeli enemy would not have accepted the ceasefire if it had not met with massive resistance,” said a Houthi spokesman.
Several Arab states also issued statements welcoming the deal.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said all parties must comply with their obligations with regards to the ceasefire, while also calling for an end to the fighting in Gaza.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also chimed in, arguing that it was “important that everyone sticks to what has been agreed so that people on both sides of the border can live in safety again.”
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