In a first address since the ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem termed it as the divine victory of the militant group over Israel which surpasses one from 2006, when two antagonising forces last fought.
He said that Hezbollah had "approved the deal, with the resistance strong in the battlefield, and our heads held high with our right to defend (ourselves)." Qassem further said, “To those that were betting that Hezbollah would be weakened, we are sorry, their bets have failed.”
What does the agreement stipulate?
Under the US and France negotiated ceasefire agreement, both sides have committed to end the conflict along the Israeli-Lebanese border that has killed thousands after the war started in Gaza last year. As per the agreement, Hezbollah would retreat from the areas south of the Litani river, which runs some 30 km (20 miles) north of the border with Israel.
Moreover, the Lebanese Army is entrusted to help ensure that the ceasefire holds. The Army will be deployed to the south of the country. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army has asked people to delay their return to their homes in south until Israeli troops who waged a war inside southern Lebanon withdraws. The truce between Israel and Hezbollah granted 60 days to Israeli military to withdraw from the Lebanese territory.
Efforts complicated after Israeli strike
However, the efforts have been complicated by their presence as the military issued restrictions on people returning to villages along Lebanon's border with Israel and has fired at people in those villages in recent days, calling those movements a violation of the truce.
Both the Lebanese army and Hezbollah have accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire in those instances, and by launching an airstrike above the Litani River on Thursday.
(With inputs from agencies)
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