The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon officially came into effect on November 27, 2024, putting a temporary end to the months-long border conflict. This ceasefire agreement has not only attracted attention from both inside and outside the region, but also received joint support and supervision from the United States and France.

Multiple parties have promoted the agreement

In a statement on the evening of November 26, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear that although Israel has temporarily agreed to a ceasefire, if Hezbollah breaks the agreement, Israel will take decisive measures to respond. He further emphasized that the ceasefire provides Israel with an opportunity to focus more on confronting "potential threats from Iran."

Even before the ceasefire agreement was reached, Israeli Defense Minister Katz approved the continued military deployment on the northern front, but in the end the Israeli government decided to advance indirect negotiations with Hezbollah and had in-depth discussions on the details of the ceasefire agreement. The implementation of the agreement is inseparable from the mediation of the United States and France. President Biden and President Macron both promised to ensure the full implementation of the agreement and proposed the establishment of an international supervision mechanism to ensure the smooth implementation of the agreement.

Phased implementation of the agreement

According to the Times of Israel, the implementation of the ceasefire agreement will be gradually promoted in three stages:

Cease of hostilities: The conflicting parties must first stop all military operations, and Hezbollah armed forces will withdraw to the area north of the Litani River;

Israeli troops withdraw from southern Lebanon: The Israel Defense Forces will withdraw from southern Lebanon in the second phase of the agreement;

Border negotiations: The two sides will negotiate on the disputed border area to clarify the border between the two countries and reduce the risk of future conflicts.

At the same time, in order to prevent Hezbollah from regrouping or expanding its influence after the ceasefire, Israel also asked the United States to lead the establishment of an international monitoring mechanism to ensure that Hezbollah forces will not redeploy south of the Litani River.

Israel's letter of guarantee requirements

The Netanyahu government further made a special request to the United States, that is, President Biden will provide a "letter of guarantee". This document will ensure Israel's freedom of military action on Lebanese territory. The Israeli side emphasized that the letter of guarantee is an important supplementary clause to the ceasefire agreement and will provide greater flexibility and protection for future military and diplomatic operations.

Hezbollah's response and conditions

Lebanon's Hezbollah stressed that the first prerequisite for the ceasefire agreement is that Israel must stop its "aggression" against Lebanon and promise to respect Lebanon's national sovereignty. Hezbollah officials have repeatedly warned Israel that it should not try to impose conditions unilaterally in the negotiations.

In addition, Hezbollah said that the real significance of the ceasefire is to restore regional peace, rather than serve the military or political purposes of any party. They asked the international community to jointly supervise the implementation of the agreement and avoid any provocative actions in the future.

The role and challenges of the international community

The role of the United States and France in this agreement cannot be ignored. The United States not only provided a mediation platform, but also promoted the establishment of an international monitoring mechanism, which will be mainly responsible for supervising the implementation of the agreement and armed activities in the conflict area. At the same time, French President Macron also stated that France is willing to provide technical and legal support for border negotiations and called on both sides to avoid any form of provocative behavior.

However, although the signing of the agreement has brought short-term peace to both sides, the implementation of the agreement still faces many challenges. The complex religious and political contradictions in the region, as well as the intervention of external forces, make it still uncertain whether this ceasefire agreement can really take effect in the long term.

A fragile peace still needs to be maintained

The ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is undoubtedly an important diplomatic breakthrough, but the hostile history between the two sides and the complex situation in reality make the prospects of the agreement difficult to predict. Regional peace requires the continued attention and intervention of the international community, and the implementation of the agreement requires both parties to the conflict to show real sincerity and willingness to cooperate.

In the coming weeks, the operation of the international monitoring mechanism and the progress of border negotiations will be the key to determining the success or failure of the agreement. For the people caught in the war, what they really expect is a lasting peace, not a temporary truce.