Azerbaijani MFA hopes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire to end hostilities

The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan has issued a statement on X welcoming the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which may put an end to the ongoing hostilities.

“Azerbaijan welcomes the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, and expects this agreement will end the hostilities,” Caliber.Az reports, citing the Ministry’s X page.

The Ministry added, “Azerbaijan, supporting the resolution of conflicts in a peaceful way, and as an initiator of COP29 Presidency Joint Solemn Appeal for a COP29 Truce, endorsed by 132 countries, calls on all parties to abide by ceasefire and overcome the challenges.”

Let's recall that in the early hours of November 27, a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah came into effect after both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the US and France, a rare victory for diplomacy in a region traumatised by two devastating wars for over a year.

Lebanon's army, which is tasked with helping make sure the ceasefire holds, said in a statement it was preparing to deploy to the south of the country. The military also asked that residents of border villages delay returning home until the Israeli military, which has waged war against Hezbollah on several occasions and pushed around six km (4 miles) into Lebanese territory, withdraws.

The agreement, which 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, is a major achievement for the US in the waning days of President Joe Biden's administration.

By Khagan Isayev