Visiting US envoy Amos Hochstein says Israeli forces have begun to withdraw from the south Lebanon border town of Naqura, more than halfway into a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
“The Israeli military started its withdrawal from Naqura…and back into Israel proper today, south of the Blue Line. These withdrawals will continue until all Israeli forces are out of Lebanon completely, and as the Lebanese army continues to deploy into the south and all the way to the Blue Line,” Hochstein tells reporters, referring to the UN-demarcated boundary between the two countries.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF on the pullout.
IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani has said Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese towns has been slower than anticipated because of a lack of Lebanese army troops ready to take over.
As part of the truce agreement signed by Israel and the terror group on November 27, the IDF is required to cede all of its positions in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army within 60 days. At the same time, Hezbollah is required to retreat north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the border with Israel.
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, January 6, 2025
