Netanyahu confirms in principle ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah in Lebanon

Follow live the latest news on the war in Gaza and Lebanon

Justifies the agreement as necessary to continue confronting the Iranian threat and does not specify dates

MADRID, 26 (EUROPA PRESS)

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed this Tuesday a ceasefire agreement in principle for the cessation of hostilities between the Israeli Army and the Lebanese Shiite militia party Hezbollah, which for more than a year has been exchanging attacks on both sides of the border in the context of the war in the Middle East.

This was confirmed by the Israeli president in a speech to the nation, putting an end to the speculation of recent days regarding a possible agreement. Earlier, Netanyahu had met with representatives of communities in northern Israel, while some of his most prominent ministers have held talks at the highest level on this very issue.

The Israeli president has indicated that he will present this ceasefire proposal to his cabinet, the duration of which will depend in any case on what happens in the neighboring country, and which could be broken if Hezbollah “tries to retaliate.” “If you try to resume terrorist activities near the border, we will attack. If you break the agreement and dig a tunnel, if you bring missiles, we will attack,” he explained.

“We will respond firmly to any of their actions,” warned Netanyahu who, in an attempt to convince those who do not see the agreement as positive, recalled that in the Gaza Strip he did sign a ceasefire that later did not prevent the The Israeli Army continued with its operations, delving into the dismemberment of the Palestinian group.

Thus, Netanyahu has not provided details about what the ceasefire will consist of, although he has hinted that it is an agreement that has the approval of the White House. “In agreement with the United States, we will maintain full military freedom,” Netanyahu said, hinting that the initiative could meet the deadlines proposed by Washington.

The spokesman for the United States Department of Defense, Patrick Ryder, has indicated that the United States “strongly supports” the ceasefire, which in principle would set a deadline of 60 days for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the advance of the Lebanese Army. about these positions. The first Israeli withdrawal movement should occur within ten days.

EXPORTS ISRAELI MILITARY OPERATIONS ON ALL FRONTS

The Israeli president has taken the opportunity to convey his “pride” to the population of the north of the country. “I am proud of your capacity for resistance, and I am committed to your security, to the reconstruction of your homes, to your future,” said Netanyahu, who then also highlighted the performance of the Army not only in the southern Lebanon, but also in the rest of the fronts open against Israel.

But specifically, with regard to the Israeli response against Hezbollah, Netanyahu has stressed that the Islamist organization “is not the same as it was a year ago”, when in October 2023 it began launching missiles against towns in northern Israel. leaving several injured and tens of thousands of evacuees who have not yet been able to return to their homes.

Thus, Netanyahu has stressed that Israel’s attacks against Hezbollah structures, especially in neighborhoods in the south of Beirut, have made the ground “rumble” in the Lebanese capital and have caused the group to go back “decades” back. Despite everything, Netanyahu has stressed that all these operations have always had the objective of safeguarding the security of the Israeli population, and with an eye on all open fronts.

“This is how I acted when I decided at the beginning of the war to focus on Gaza and not open a second front in Lebanon; this is how I acted a few months ago, when conditions arose in the north and then we decided to focus on Hezbollah; this is how I acted after the attack by the missiles from Iran, and that is how I act today,” he explained, justifying the ceasefire agreement as necessary to continue facing the Iranian threat and to change the paradigm in the Middle East.

In fact, Netanyahu has flatly rejected any suspicion that the ceasefire in Lebanon could make it impossible for Israel to resume attacks in the future. “This is exactly what they told me when we made the ceasefire in Gaza,” said the prime minister, recalling the truce a year ago in the Strip and after which the Israeli Army “fought again” with force in the enclave.

“We will respond firmly to any of their (Hezbollah’s) actions. I know there are those who do not believe that we would do this, but many also did not believe that we would have a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and we did. They did not believe that we would enter Shifa and Khan Yunis, and we entered. They did not believe that we would enter Rafá and (the corridor of) Philadelphia, and not only did we enter, but we attacked,” he said.

With all this, Netanyahu has clinched his speech with a direct message to the Israeli population, reminding them that in the last year there has been fighting on up to seven fronts, which are serving to “change the face of the Middle East.” Netanyahu has thus referred to the war in Gaza and Lebanon, the clashes in the West Bank, the threats from the Houthis in Yemen, the Syria of Bashar al Assad, the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and the Iranian regime itself.

The attacks by the Israeli Army against Lebanese territory have left more than 3,700 dead and around 15,700 injured to date, according to the latest balance sheet from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Among the deceased is part of Hezbollah’s leadership, including the leader of the Islamist organization for decades, Hasan Nasrallah.

The resurgence of hostilities in Beirut and southern Lebanon is part of the clashes that began more than a year ago after Hezbollah attacked Israel a day after the offensive of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

The Israeli Army unleashed a new invasion of Lebanon on October 1 after several weeks of intense bombing and attacks against the country, including the coordinated explosion of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies linked to Hezbollah.