Israel And Hezbollah Agree To 60-Day Ceasefire Amid Ongoing Conflict

A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah appears to be holding. The deal, which the Biden administration helped to broker, took effect early Wednesday morning and follows more than a year of cross-border fighting.

Cars streamed back into bombarded neighborhoods throughout Lebanon Wednesday, with residents saying that going back home was the nicest feeling.

President Biden expressed his support for the deal in comments on Tuesday from the Rose Garden:

"I applaud the courageous decision made by the leaders of Lebanon and Israel to end the violence. It reminds us peace is possible."

The fighting along Lebanon’s border with northern Israel has displaced more than a million people and left thousands dead.

Under the agreement, the ceasefire will last 60 days, during which Israeli troops will withdraw from Lebanon and, in return, Hezbollah will retreat all the way back north of the Litani River. Lebanese troops and UN forces will work to keep the peace.

"We're going to have to monitor it and implement it day by day," said Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, "and the United States and France, along with our other allies, are committed to help doing that. And, of course, at the end of the day, as the deal states, Israel retains the right to self-defense if Hezbollah or any other terrorist group violates the deal."

Biden's State Department is also making another push for a larger ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas to end the fighting in Gaza and secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.

"Obviously, no one likes what's happening in a war," said Senator James Lankford (R-OK) in an interview. "That's why everyone tries to be able to end the war as soon as possible. But we also don't like that there are hostages that Hamas continues to hold."

It’s believed that 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza and that at least a third of them are dead. Families pray the deal with Hezbollah leads to a deal with Hamas.

"For sure, there is a way that we can bridge the gap," said Udi Goren, the relative of one of the hostages. "And we've just heard today that Hamas is willing to have a ceasefire deal and therefore, the same mediators should put their foot down, set the goal to have a ceasefire deal with all the hostages being brought back home.”

As negotiations continue, the Biden administration says it’s keeping the incoming Trump team informed.