**Israel and Hezbollah Agree to Ceasefire**
The Israeli Prime Minister has announced that he will ask his ministers to approve an agreement on a ceasefire to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
For almost a year, since October 2023, there have been almost daily cross-border fire exchanges between the Iran-backed armed groups and Israel. The fighting grew in intensity as Israel intensified its aerial bombardments and launched a limited land invasion.
The conflict has been the deadliest in Lebanon’s history, with over 3,823 deaths since last year. Local figures show that more than 15,000 people have also been wounded, and 1 million residents in areas controlled by Hezbollah have been displaced.
**Ceasefire Terms**
Under the proposed agreement, both Hezbollah and Israeli forces will withdraw from the south of Lebanon. Hezbollah’s weapons and fighters will be withdrawn from the south of the Litani River, a boundary established during the last Israel-Hezbollah War in 2006.
The ceasefire will initially last for 60 days, with France expected to monitor the truce.
**Consequences**
Hezbollah says it wants to guarantee the safe return of approximately 60,000 residents of northern Israeli regions who were displaced by rockets launched against Israel. The war has devastated both sides, with many Hezbollah leaders killed and its infrastructure severely damaged.
The World Bank estimates that economic losses and damages amount to $8.5 billion.
**What’s Next?**
It remains unclear how the conflict will affect Lebanon’s politics, but opponents of Hezbollah are likely to see this as an opportunity to limit their influence. The group has been described in Lebanon as “a State within a State,” and many fear that its weakened state could lead to violence.
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