After over a year of war, fighting at the northern borders of occupied Palestine is coming to a close amid a mediated ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation. The agreement, Haaretz underlined, mirrors the framework of UN Security Council 1701 reached at the end of the 2006 July 2006 war.

The agreement stipulates that the Israeli military gradually withdraw from South Lebanon, while Hezbollah vacates areas south of the Litani River and the Lebanese Army assumes control of the region.

Israeli opposition figures went ballistic over the agreement. Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party, said, "The withdrawal of forces now, along with the dynamics it will create, will make it harder for us and easier for Hezbollah to reorganize. We must not settle for half measures or miss the opportunity for a stronger agreement that fundamentally changes the situation in the north."

Meanwhile, others welcomed it as a step toward enabling displaced Israeli settlers to return and begin rebuilding in northern occupied Palestine. However, critics argue that the Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has historically failed to enforce Resolution 1701 and prevent military buildup.

Concerns about Gaza

While the agreement on the northern front may separate the fronts, concerns remain over the ongoing war in Gaza, Haaretz said. "The Israeli military has achieved a significant goal by preventing the unity of fronts strategy pursued by Iran and Hezbollah, yet the southern conflict continues to devastate Gaza."

The Israeli newspaper stressed the issue of Israeli captives held in Gaza, 101 of which Hamas has repeatedly underlined are at risk of losing their lives any moment due to Israeli aggression.

The Resistance group recently released footage showing the body of an Israeli captive they said was "a new victim of Netanyahu and [Israeli occupation forces Chief of Staff Herzi] Halevi."

"The government must prioritize ending the Gaza conflict and securing the hostages' release," Haaretz concluded.

Ceasefire goes into effect

The Israeli ceasefire with Lebanon officially took effect on Wednesday at 4:00 am (local time).

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden announced that the governments of "Israel" and Lebanon have accepted a proposal to end the war, describing the development as "good news".

He said that he spoke with the prime ministers of "Israel" and Lebanon and was "pleased to announce that their governments have accepted the United States' proposal to end the devasting conflict between Israel and Hezbollah."