Biden announces Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement | News

BREAKBREAK,

US President Joe Biden says the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah is “designed for a permanent cessation of hostilities”.

US President Joe Biden said Israel and Lebanon had accepted a US proposal to end the “devastating” Israel-Hezbollah conflict, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting that has killed thousands of people .

In a televised address from Washington, DC on Tuesday, Biden said the ceasefire would begin at 4 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) on Wednesday and that the agreement was “designed for a permanent cessation of hostilities.”

In a phone call with Biden, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he welcomed the U.S.-brokered deal to end hostilities between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel, a statement from his office said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the U.S. president that his government had agreed to the ceasefire and that he appreciated his “understanding that Israel would maintain its freedom of action in enforcing the ceasefire,” his office said.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel will “gradually” withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days, Biden said, and the Lebanese army and state security forces will be deployed to the area.

“Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon must not be rebuilt,” he added.

The announcement comes as Israel continues to bomb Lebanon and Israeli warplanes bomb the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The Israeli military said an attack fire hit 20 targets in the city in just 120 seconds.

Israeli attacks on a building in Beirut housing displaced people killed seven people and injured 37 others, the National News Agency reported, citing Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

“The Israeli attack on the Nweiri area in Beirut destroyed a four-story building housing displaced people,” Lebanon’s official news agency said.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said earlier Israeli strikes killed at least 31 people on Monday, mostly in the south of the country.