Biden’s envoy declares: Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is here to stay

The truce agreement between Israel and Lebanon is intended to be permanent, not limited to two months, according to Amos Hochstein, the US special envoy for the region and President Joe Biden’s emissary. 

Hochstein made the statement in an exclusive interview with Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera, per Caliber.Az.

“These ceasefire arrangements are permanent. It’s not for 60 days. This is a permanent ceasefire that began at 4 a.m. local Beirut time,” Hochstein stated. He explained that while Israeli forces remain positioned two to three kilometres inside Lebanese territory, their withdrawal will coincide with the redeployment of the Lebanese army to the southern border region.

“The first parts of the Israeli troops will leave over the next few days or the first two weeks, and gradually, over a period of 60 days, they will all leave,” Hochstein added.

US President Joe Biden announced on November 26 that Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah had reached a ceasefire agreement. The truce officially began at 4:00 a.m. on November 27, local time. The agreement requires the withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from Lebanese territory within 60 days.

Both Washington and Paris have pledged to ensure the full implementation of the ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the agreement, noting that 10 out of 11 members of Israel’s Security Cabinet supported the deal. On social media platform X, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to the United States for its role in brokering the agreement but emphasized Israel’s continued right to defend itself.

“Israel retains its right to act against any threat to its security,” Netanyahu stated, adding that the country would “resume fighting in Lebanon if Hezbollah arms itself or rebuilds its infrastructure near the border.”

The US is also set to collaborate with the Lebanese army to prevent potential violations of the ceasefire. Washington will participate in a regional military-technical committee to provide equipment, training, and financial assistance to Lebanon’s armed forces.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated in October 2023, following Hezbollah’s support for Hamas’s large-scale attack on Israel on October 7. Israel launched a ground operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on October 1, preceded by heavy airstrikes targeting the group’s positions. On September 27, during the initial strikes, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was reportedly killed in Beirut. Subsequent Israeli operations targeted several of his successors and other senior Hezbollah figures.

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, IDF shelling in the first ten days of fighting resulted in 1,974 civilian deaths and approximately 9,384 injuries. The conflict further intensified on November 24, when Hezbollah launched a major attack, firing around 250 rockets into Israel, as reported by the IDF.

By Tamilla Hasanova