With the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hezbollah, attention turns to Gaza

2024-11-27 17:20:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

With the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hezbollah, attention

US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, which operates in Lebanon. The agreement, which ended the 14-month conflict, entered into force today and is being respected by the parties in its first hours, allowing those displaced by the last year's fighting to return to their homes. While world leaders welcomed the agreement, attention turned again to the conflict in Gaza. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that the United States will increase its efforts starting today to reach a ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages still being held there. VOA Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara brings the following chronicle.

After days of Israeli attacks on Beirut and other Lebanese cities and rockets fired by the Hezbollah militant group into Israel, the two sides reached a cease-fire agreement on Tuesday that was welcomed by United States President Joe Biden.

"Starting from 4 am, the fighting along the Lebanese-Israeli border will stop. This agreement is designed to constitute a permanent cessation of hostilities," he declared.

President Biden's statement came shortly after a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which he announced that he had agreed to a cease-fire after a year of fighting, started by Hezbollah over the war in Gaza, where Israel is fighting Hamas, a another Iranian-backed militant group.

"With the full understanding of the United States, we will continue to have full freedom of military action. If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack it. If he tries to rebuild the terrorist infrastructure near the border, we will attack him," he declared.

Mr. Netanyahu said that Israel must focus its attention on operations in Gaza, following the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel in October last year, and on the threat from Iran.

The truce was welcomed by other world leaders and attention returned to the war in Gaza, which is believed to have killed 44,000 Palestinians.

President Biden vowed on Tuesday that the United States would work to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

"During the following days, they will make another effort alongside Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and other actors in the region to reach a cease-fire agreement in Gaza," he said.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan echoed that statement on US television's MSNBC Wednesday, saying those efforts begin today.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi welcomed the ceasefire agreement and said he hoped it would pave the way for a permanent ceasefire.

"It depends on Israel's behavior. We certainly reserve the right to react to Israel's recent aggression, but we consider all developments in the region," he declared.

According to the ceasefire agreement, Israeli forces will withdraw from the southern part along the Lebanese-Israeli border, while Hezbollah will withdraw to the north, across the Litan River.

According to the plan, the Lebanese army, which is not involved in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, will be deployed to monitor the border region. The United States and France will oversee the implementation of the agreement.

In its early hours, the deal was being respected by the parties, while long lines of displaced Lebanese made their way to their homes in southern Lebanon, despite warnings not to rush back to parts of the badly damaged region. from Israeli bombing while Israeli forces were still withdrawing.

In Israel, residents of border areas hit by Hezbollah rockets welcomed the deal even though it may take months for them to return to their homes due to the damage their settlements have experienced./ VOA