1 week Ago By TOI News Desk
A man waves a Lebanese flag as he stands amidst the rubble of a building destroyed in Israeli strikes, in Tyre, Lebanon, November 27, 2024. (Reuters) NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which came into force today. "We welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that has been announced," ministry of external affairs said in a press release.
The release further said, "We have always called for de-escalation, restraint, and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We hope these developments will lead to peace and stability in the wider region." The truce between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah aims to end a conflict that has displaced tens of thousands in Israel and hundreds of thousands in Lebanon.
A US- and France-brokered agreement, approved by Israel on Tuesday, outlines a two-month ceasefire and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon. Israeli troops are to withdraw to their side of the border as part of the deal. Under the agreement, thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers will be deployed in southern Lebanon, with compliance monitored by an international panel led by the United States.
Israel has said it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah if the group violates the terms of the agreement. The war involved widespread airstrikes across Lebanon and the deployment of Israeli troops over the border to fight Hezbollah militants. It began after Hezbollah launched cross-border attacks in support of Hamas, following Hamas’s assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The deal does not cover the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, where Israel continues its military operations against Hamas following the group’s October 2023 cross-border attack. US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that his administration plans to renew efforts for an agreement regarding Gaza in the coming days..
