Israel-Lebanon latest: Netanyahu says Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal agreed

Frank GardnerSecurity correspondent, in Jerusalem

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gone on record tonight to say his government will greenlight the US-brokered ceasefire deal for Lebanon. Going on national TV after a meeting of his security cabinet, he listed the reasons why it made sense for Israel’s interests.

It will now go before the full cabinet whose approval is expected to be a formality. Lebanon’s foreign minister has already said he supports the deal.

Under the terms of the deal, both Israel and Hezbollah are to withdraw their forces from south Lebanon over a 60-day period, with Hezbollah staying north of the Litani River, around 19 miles (30km) north of the border.

To fill the security vacuum, a bolstered Lebanese national army and troops from Unifil, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, are due to fill in behind them.

Critically for Israel, the deal allows it to intervene militarily in Lebanon if it detects an immediate threat from Hezbollah. In the case of a less immediate threat, such as the detection of a tunnel south of the Litani, Israel will report this to a five-nation committee, the defacto guarantors, overseen by the US.

But in Gaza meanwhile, there are mixed views. Some Palestinians hope this can pave the way for a deal that ends Israel’s military operation there. Others fear it will now free up the Israeli army to redouble its assault on Hamas, with yet more civilian casualties to follow.