Dtens of thousands of Lebanese driven out by the conflict are returning home thanks to this truce which came into force on Wednesday at 4:00 a.m. local time.
Hezbollah, supported by Iran, opened a “support front” to Palestinian Hamas, faced in Gaza with an Israeli offensive triggered by an unprecedented attack by the Islamist movement.
“President Biden intends to get to work today by directing his emissaries to reach out to Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and other regional players” for a ceasefire and an agreement to release hostages in the Gaza Strip, Jake Sullivan said in an interview with MSNBC.
The United States sees a “beginning of opportunity for a more stable Middle East”he continued, welcoming an agreement which according to him is “the result of relentless diplomacy led by the president” Joe Biden.
The ceasefire in Lebanon was welcomed Wednesday by a senior Hamas official, who said ” ready “ to a truce with the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, with Qatar also hoping for a “similar agreement” to that of Lebanon after 13 months of conflict.
The war in Gaza was triggered on October 7, 2023 by the Hamas attack on Israeli soil, which resulted in the deaths of 1,207 people, mainly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data, including hostages killed or died in captivity.
The Israeli offensive carried out in retaliation in Gaza left more than 44,200 dead, mostly civilians, according to data from the Hamas Ministry of Health, deemed reliable by the UN.
