Israel-Lebanon ceasefire faces several violations

Friday, December 6, 2024 

On Monday, December 2, Israel launched its largest wave of airstrikes across Lebanon since a ceasefire came into effect. 11 civilians were killed in the airstrikes. The strikes were launched by Israel in response to the firing of projectiles against Israeli forces by Hezbollah. The firing was the first Hezbollah attack on Israeli forces since the ceasefire agreement. Hezbollah claimed Israel themselves had violated the ceasefire agreement, and that their attacks were a warning shot because of this. Israel claims that Hezbollah had violated the ceasefire on several unspecified occasions.

As of December 6, 2024, both sides have repeatedly accused the other of violating the ceasefire, and strikes by Israel have continued.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has reportedly been violated on several occasions since November 28th, two days after it came into effect.

The ceasefire deal was first proposed by Amos Hochstein, a top official in the Biden administration of the United States. On Sunday, November 25, 2024, it was announced that the proposal was pending an Israeli response. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the proposal was waiting final approval by Israel. "We must pressure the Israeli government and maintain the pressure on Hezbollah to accept the US proposal for a ceasefire," he said in Beirut after meeting Lebanese officials.

One day later, Israel and Hezbollah negotiated the ceasefire and it came into effect. However, on Thursday, November 28, 2024, Israel fired airstrikes in Lebanon, claiming that they were done in response to Hezbollah's activity in a rocket storage facility in southern Lebanon which allegedly breached the ceasefire.

On the same day, the Lebanese Army alleged that Israel had violated the ceasefire by striking Lebanon with "various weapons" and continuing to surveil Lebanese skies with warplanes and drones. Israeli forces have said troops will be withdrawn gradually as they ensure that the ceasefire is being enforced. Israel has warned people repeatedly not to return to areas in which it retains a military presence, and says that it retains the right to strike Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the ceasefire.

Sources

• "Israel says struck Hezbollah "smuggling routes" on Syria-Lebanon border" — The Defense Post, December 6, 2024
• "Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in Lebanon tested by intensifying cross-border strikes as both sides claim breaches" — CBS News, December 3, 2024
• "Israel and Hezbollah both claim ceasefire violations" — CBS News, November 28, 2024
• Asher Kaufman. "Why Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire now − and what it means for Israel, Lebanon, Biden, and Trump" — The Conversation, November 27, 2024
• "Lebanon ceasefire pending Israeli response after it carried out deadliest attack on Beirut" — Australian Broadcasting Corporation, November 25, 2024
• Lyndal Rowlands, Zaheena Rasheed, Nils Adler, and Farah Najjar. "Israel, Lebanon officials indicate ceasefire deal is close" — Al Jazeera, November 25, 2024