Israel and Lebanon accept ceasefire deal ‘designed to be permanent’, Biden says – Middle East crisis live | Israel

Biden says that if Hezbollah or any other party breaks the ceasefire deal, then Israel retains the right to self-defence “consistent with international law”.

The US president says the agreement “heralds a new start for Lebanon”.

“Just as the Lebanese people deserve a future of security and prosperity, so do the people of Gaza,” Biden says.

People of Gaza have been through hell, their world is absolutely shattered.

He says Hamas has refused for months to negotiate a good faith ceasefire and hostage deal, and says Hamas “has a choice to make”.

Hamas’s “only way out” is to release the remaining hostages and bring an end to the fighting, which would allow humanitarian relief into Gaza, he says.

Over the coming days, the United States will make another push for Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

Biden says that under the deal reached today, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah along the Lebanese-Israeli border will end effective at 4pm local time on Wednesday.

“This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” the US president says.

What is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organisations will not be allowed to threaten the security of Israel.

Over the next 60 days, the Lebanese army and state security forces will deploy and take control of their own territory, he says.

Israel will also gradually withdraw its remaining forces over the next 60 days, he says, so that civilians on both sides can return to their communities and begin to rebuild their lives.

The US, with the full support of France and allies, will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure that this arrangement is “fully” implemented, Biden says.

We, along with France and others, will provide the necessary assistance to make sure this deal is implemented fully and effectively.

The US president, Joe Biden, has begun speaking from the White House’s Rose Garden.

Biden says the governments of Israel and Lebanon have accepted a US proposal to end the “devastating” conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

He says he wants to thank his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, for his partnership in reaching this moment.

Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has said it should occupy the Gaza Strip and halve its Palestinian population by the “encouragement of voluntary emigration”.

“We can and must conquer the Gaza Strip. We should not be afraid of that word,” Smotrich said at an event late on Monday organised by the Yesha Council, an umbrella group representing Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

There is no doubt that in Gaza – with the encouragement of voluntary emigration – there is here, in my opinion, a unique opportunity that is opening up with the new administration.

He said it was possible to “create a situation in which, within two years, the population of Gaza will be reduced by half.”

“It won’t cost too much money,” he added, noting that “even if it does, we should not be afraid to pay for it.”

Smotrich and fellow far-right cabinet minister, national security minister Itamar Ben–Gvir, previously sparked outcry in January with “voluntary transfer” plans for Gaza’s 2.4m population.

Israel’s extremist national security minister, Itamar Ben–Gvir, has said he will oppose the ceasefire deal with Hezbollah.

In a statement posted to X, he described the ceasefire agreement as a “historic mistake” but did not say that his party will quit in protest.

“This is not a ceasefire. It’s a return to the concept of silence for silence, and we have already seen where this leads,” Ben-Gvir wrote.

Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati, has called on the international community to “act swiftly” and “implement an immediate ceasefire” to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Netanyahu’s address came after an intense wave of Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, with health authorities reporting at least 18 killed.

At least seven people were killed and 37 others injured after Israel launched attacks on 20 targets on the Lebanese capital in just 120 seconds, Lebanon’s health ministry said.

The strikes on Beirut “reaffirms that the Israeli enemy has no regard for any law or consideration,” Mikati said in a statement posted to X.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he will recommend his cabinet approve a ceasefire deal agreement to end fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In a televised address, Netanyahu said he will put the deal to his full cabinet later on Tuesday. He said a vote was expected.

According to Israeli media, Israel’s smaller security cabinet approved the deal earlier today.

Netanyahu did not provide any details about the ceasefire deal during his address, and it was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect. Earlier Lebanese media reports said the ceasefire would go into effect on Wednesday.

Netanyahu warned that Israel will “respond forcefully to any violation” of the deal by Hezbollah. “For every violation, we will attack with might,” he said.

The ceasefire deal with Hezbollah would not affect Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and would allow Israel to turn its focus to Iran – Hezbollah’s backer and Israel’s biggest threat in the region.

Netanyahu says that if Hezbollah breaches the ceasefire deal by rearming itself and attacking, then Israel will react “very forcefully”.

The Israeli prime minister says there are three main reasons as to why this is the right time for a ceasefire agreement. He says that the deal means that Israel can focus on the “Iranian threat”.

The deal also allows Israel to “refresh” and “rearm” its troops, Netanyahu says, adding that “it’s no secret” that there have been “big delays” in the supply of weapons.

Soon, we will arm ourselves with sophisticated weapons that will help us protect our troops and give us even greater force to complete our missions.

The third reason, he says, is to isolate Hamas. “Hamas was counting on Hezbollah fighting together and once Hezbollah is eliminated, Hamas is left alone,” he says.

Our pressure on Hamas will grow stronger, and this will help us … in bringing back our hostages.