dpa
Beirut
A ceasefire in Lebanon appeared to be holding on Wednesday as Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah halted fighting, with displaced residents returning home despite warnings that breaches of the deal could result in the conflict reigniting.
Almost two months after Israel launched its ground invasion of southern Lebanon, a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France took effect at 4am (0200 GMT).
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah - which began in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, attacks by the Palestinian 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, as fighting continues in the Gaza Strip.
Under the terms of the deal, Israel is to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon within 60 days, while Hezbollah fighters are to return behind the Litani River, some 30 kilometres from the border, 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.
Images showed convoys of army vehicles heading for southern Lebanon, where they are to be deployed south of the Litani River, the army said.
The situation in the region remains tense, with the Israeli military reporting several incidents following the ceasefire.
A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said: “These are isolated incidents that happen in the first few hours or days until people understand what is happening on the ground.” If Israeli troops are threatened, he said, “they will shoot.” Nonetheless, an Israeli representative confirmed that if all goes to plan, “after 60 days there will be no Israeli ground troops left in Lebanon.” The withdrawal is conditional on Hezbollah adhering to the agreements, the spokesman said.
The ceasefire deal was formally announced on Tuesday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden.
