Lebanon ceasefire deal extended as initial deadline passes

The United States and Lebanon have stated that the ceasefire agreement with Israel, originally set to expire on Sunday, has been extended to mid-February. This extension comes after Israel deployed troops within Lebanese territory, citing the Lebanese government's failure to fully implement the agreement, which required Hezbollah to withdraw from the area.

On Sunday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that Israeli soldiers killed 22 people attempting to return to their homes in southern Lebanon and injured 124 others. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated that, with US mediation, the ceasefire agreement would be extended until February 18th.

The initial ceasefire plan, announced at the end of November, aimed to end the 14-month conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The agreement, brokered by the US and France, required Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon within 60 days, and called for Israeli forces to withdraw within the same timeframe.

Then-US President Joe Biden stated when announcing the plan that it was "intended to permanently halt hostilities between the two sides." However, two days before the deadline, Israel stated that some of its soldiers would remain in the area because the Lebanese side had "not fully implemented" the ceasefire agreement.

The White House issued a statement on Sunday saying that the deadline had been extended to February 18th and that negotiations would begin on the repatriation of Lebanese prisoners captured after October 7, 2023. Despite the area remaining unsafe, thousands of Lebanese residents have returned to towns and villages near the border since the agreement was reached.

The Israeli military stated that they had "fired warning shots in several areas" but did not specify whether anyone had been hit, and arrested several people who allegedly posed an "imminent threat." The Lebanese Ministry of Health, however, reported that 22 people were killed by Israeli soldiers in the area on Sunday.

The long-standing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated last September. This led to Israel launching heavy airstrikes on Lebanon, a ground invasion of the country's south, and the assassination of senior Hezbollah leaders. The offensive resulted in the deaths of approximately 4,000 people in Lebanon, including many civilians, and displaced over 1.2 million residents.

Israel's stated goals are to allow approximately 60,000 residents who fled their northern communities due to Hezbollah attacks to return home and to clear the group from the border area. Hezbollah launched its operations following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel, stating that its actions were in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.