The Lebanese government announced in the early hours of Monday morning that it had agreed to extend the implementation of the ceasefire agreement with Israel until February 18, following US mediation, as Israel let the deadline for withdrawing units of its armed forces from southern Lebanese sectors pass without fulfilling this obligation.

“The Lebanese government reaffirms its commitment (…) to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement by February 18, 2025,” Prime Minister Najib Mikati said in a statement, after consulting with President of the Republic Joseph Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabi Berri on “the results of contacts with the US side, which is responsible for monitoring (the implementation) of the agreement.”

The White House announced yesterday Sunday that the “arrangement” agreed to by Lebanon and Israel was being extended until February 18, as the Israeli armed forces let yesterday’s deadline pass without withdrawing their units that remain deployed in southeastern sectors of Lebanese territory as they were theoretically obligated to do.

“The arrangement between Lebanon and Israel, which is overseen by the United States, will continue in effect until February 18, 2025,” the US presidency said in a terse statement that did not explicitly mention either the ceasefire or France, which was actively involved in the negotiations in close coordination with the administration of former US President Joe Biden.

It also says the parties “will begin negotiations” with US mediation to return Lebanese nationals who were detained after the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.

At least 22 killed by Israeli army fire on civilians

The Israeli army opened fire on southern Lebanese residents attempting to return, in their hundreds, to their villages, killing 22 people and wounding 124, according to a new report from the country’s health ministry.

According to the ministry, “Israeli enemy attacks on civilians attempting to return to their villages, which are still under occupation, caused the deaths of 22 people, including six women and one soldier, while 124 were injured” in 19 different communities.

The previous toll was 15 dead.

The Israel-Hezbollah deal

The deal stipulated that Israeli forces would withdraw from southern Lebanon as weapons and fighters from Iran-backed Hezbollah were removed from the area and the Lebanese army deployed there, within a 60-day period that expired yesterday morning.

Israel has said, however, that the Lebanese state has not fully enforced the terms of the deal, and the country’s US-backed army yesterday accused Israel of delaying its withdrawal.

The ceasefire deal, brokered by the US and France and ending 14 months of conflict, provided for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the removal of Hezbollah fighters and weapons from southern Lebanon. At the same time, thousands of Lebanese troops were expected to be deployed to the area where, for decades, Hezbollah had been the dominant force.