Israel and Hezbollah agree to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, ending a 13-month war, while hostilities and hostage crises persist in Gaza.

The Israel war cabinet approved on Tuesday, November 27, a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, ending a 13-month war that escalated following Israel's invasion of Lebanon.

In the hours leading up to the agreement, Israel launched its most intense wave of airstrikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the agreement does not restrict Israel’s ability to take military action. “Hezbollah will violate the ceasefire not only if it fires at us, but also if it tries to arm itself to fire at us in the future. We will respond strongly to any violation of this,” Netanyahu declared.

Netanyahu justified his support for the ceasefire, citing significant delays in the delivery of weapons and munitions. He also referred to the growing “Iranian threat” and issued warnings to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The ceasefire officially took effect on Wednesday, November 27, with the Lebanese army beginning redeployment to the south while the Israeli army prepared to withdraw. France and the United States acted as guarantors for the deal, though its precise terms were not disclosed. The agreement does not extend to Israel's ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

The military campaign against Lebanon has resulted in over 3,760 deaths, primarily civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The relentless airstrikes displaced 1.2 million people from their homes. Israeli forces report having killed over 2,000 Hezbollah fighters, while Lebanese officials stated that at least 45 members of their military—despite their declared “non-involvement” in the conflict—were killed in Israeli strikes.

In Israel, the war claimed the lives of more than 80 soldiers and 47 civilians.

Developments in Gaza

A senior Hamas official in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, expressed support for the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, even though Hezbollah had previously vowed to halt its conflict in Lebanon only if the war in Gaza ended. “Any announcement of a ceasefire is welcome. Hezbollah has stood by our people and made significant sacrifices,” Hamdan told the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to face domestic pressure over the fate of hostages in Gaza. Around 100 hostages remain captive, with at least a third believed to have died. The majority of hostages taken during Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, were released in a ceasefire last year.

In Tel Aviv, protesters gathered on Tuesday night to demand action for the return of hostages. Ifat Kalderon, holding a photo of her cousin Ofer, who remains a hostage, urged international leaders to intervene. “I am calling on the leaders around the world, and also on [President-elect Donald] Trump. We still have hostages that are alive. We need to bring them all back home, do everything to put pressure on [Prime Minister] Netanyahu to make a hostage deal,” she said.

The ceasefire marks a moment of tenuous calm in the region, though it leaves unresolved tensions in Gaza and broader regional conflicts.