Russia welcomed Wednesday's ceasefire agreement between the Israeli occupation and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, saying it hoped it would be "actually effective."

The ceasefire between Lebanon and "Israel" 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." 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed that Russia "looks favorably on any agreement, potential or concluded, that would stop the spiral of violence, stop the bloodshed in Lebanon... but they have to be actually effective."

"Despite the efforts of the international community, the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone and other crisis-affected parts of the Middle East, alas, at this stage, continues to deteriorate," she stated, addressing the "protracted crisis" concerning Gaza.

UNIFIL welcomes ceasefire, vows to continue tasks

Similarly, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and "Israel", announcing that it had begun adjusting its operations to the "new situation" and would continue performing its mandated tasks.

UNIFIL also expressed its readiness to "cooperate with all relevant partners to make the cessation of hostilities work."

Saudi Arabia also praised the ceasefire, appreciating the international efforts involved in negotiating the deal, which was supported by the United States and France. The kingdom's foreign ministry expressed gratitude for these efforts in a statement posted on social media.

On its part, Jordan's foreign ministry called the ceasefire an important step but emphasized the need for broader international efforts to end the aggression against Gaza and Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Authority expressed hope that the ceasefire would help stop the violence destabilizing the region while calling for the enforcement of a UN resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza.

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the ceasefire as "very encouraging news," highlighting that it could help enhance Lebanon's internal security and stability.

The United Nations also welcomed the agreement, but UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert warned that significant work remains to fully implement the deal, stressing the need for the "full and unwavering commitment of both parties" involved.