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Explainer-What's in the Lebanon Ceasefire Deal and Will It Hold?
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 17, 2026
5 min readLast updated: April 17, 2026
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Israel and Lebanon initiated a U.S.-brokered 10‑day cessation of hostilities on April 16 to pave the way for direct peace negotiations, but Israeli forces remain deep inside southern Lebanon and Hezbollah retains its arms.
Lebanon Ceasefire Deal Explained: Terms, Challenges, and Prospects for Lasting Peace
Understanding the Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire Deal
JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, April 17 (Reuters) - Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a U.S.-backed ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, a deal meant to enable broader U.S.-Iran negotiations but one that will see Israeli forces maintain positions deep inside southern Lebanon.
What Does the Deal Say?
Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a "cessation of hostilities" on April 16 at 2100 GMT for an initial period of 10 days to enable peace negotiations between the two countries, according to a text of the deal released by the State Department.
The deal says Lebanon's government, with international support, would take "meaningful steps" to prevent Hezbollah and other groups from carrying out attacks against Israeli targets.
It also says that Israel and Lebanon recognise the country's security forces "as having exclusive responsibility for Lebanon’s sovereignty and national defense", a reference to a bid by the government since 2025 to disarm Hezbollah.
Under the agreement, "Israel shall preserve its right to take all necessary measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks."
Beyond this, "Israel will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian, military, and other state targets, in the territory of Lebanon by land, air, and sea," the deal says.
The 10-day period can be extended by mutual agreement as talks progress and depending on whether "Lebanon effectively demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty", it adds, in another reference to Lebanon's efforts to disarm Hezbollah.
Key Terms of the Ceasefire
- Initial 10-day cessation of hostilities
- Lebanon to prevent attacks on Israeli targets
- Exclusive responsibility for security to Lebanese state forces
- Israel retains right to self-defense
- No Israeli offensive operations in Lebanon
- Extension possible based on Lebanon’s actions
What Does the Deal Leave Unaddressed?
The deal does not require Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have been destroying villages and infrastructure after ordering residents south of the Litani River to flee. The area makes up about 8% of Lebanese territory.
Israeli defence officials say troops are holding positions as far as 10 km inside Lebanon as part of a "buffer zone" to prevent Hezbollah attacks on Israel, viewing the area and many of its villages as strongholds for the Iran-backed group.
While the deal grants Israel the right to take defensive measures against planned attacks, it does not include similar terms for Lebanon.
That marks a contrast to a 2024 deal to halt Israel-Hezbollah fighting, which said: "(These) commitments do not preclude either Israel or Lebanon from exercising their inherent right of self-defence, consistent with international law."
Notably, the deal does not explicitly require Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, although it does spell out which six Lebanese state security forces are allowed to carry arms.
The disarmament of Hezbollah has been a key demand by Israel. The group rejects calls to disarm, viewing its weapons as an element of national defence against Israeli attacks.
The deal also does not mention the fate of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese who fled the area south of the Litani, some of whom have already started returning home.
Unresolved Issues
- No Israeli withdrawal requirement
- No explicit disarmament of Hezbollah
- No protection for Lebanese right to self-defense
- No mention of displaced Lebanese civilians
Hezbollah’s Response to the Deal
Hezbollah halted fire at Israeli targets when the ceasefire came into force but stopped short of publicly endorsing the deal.
It said any ceasefire must not grant Israel "freedom of movement" within Lebanon and that the continued presence of Israeli troops on Lebanese land granted people "the right to resist."
Hezbollah’s Conditions and Concerns
- No endorsement of the deal
- Opposition to Israeli troop presence
- Insistence on right to resist occupation
Historical Context: Previous Ceasefire Deals
The 2024 Lebanon Ceasefire Deal
After a war sparked by Israel's assault on Gaza, Israel and Lebanon agreed in November 2024 to an open-ended, U.S.-brokered truce that called on Lebanon's government to disarm Hezbollah.
That deal also committed Lebanon to restricting arms to specific state forces, and further stipulated that it should confiscate unauthorised weapons and prevent rearmament by non-state groups.
In June 2025, the U.S. proposed a roadmap to Lebanese officials to fully disarm Hezbollah in exchange for Israel halting its strikes and withdrawing its troops from five points they still occupy in southern Lebanon.
But Hezbollah and its main Shi'ite ally, the Amal Movement led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, have said the sequencing should be reversed, with Israel withdrawing and halting strikes before any talks on Hezbollah's arms.
Following the 2024 deal, Israel continued to carry out strikes on what it said were Hezbollah depots and fighters, in attacks that Medecins Sans Frontieres says killed 370 people in Lebanon.
Key Challenges in Implementation
- Disagreement over sequencing of withdrawal and disarmament
- Continued Israeli strikes post-ceasefire
- High civilian casualties
Other Ceasefires Involving Israel
In Gaza, Israel and Hamas agreed last October to a U.S.-brokered deal to halt fighting and deliver aid into the territory. It was followed by a U.S. plan aimed at disarming Hamas in exchange for Israeli troop withdrawals and reconstruction of Gaza, much of which was destroyed by Israeli bombardment.
Many aspects of that plan have so far failed to take shape.
Israel has continued attacks on Gaza, killing more than 750 Palestinians since the ceasefire. Israel says it aims to thwart attacks by Hamas and other militant factions, but rarely provides verifiable evidence.
At least four Israeli soldiers have been killed by Gaza militants since October.
Comparative Analysis: Lebanon and Gaza Ceasefires
- Both involve U.S.-brokered deals
- Both include disarmament and withdrawal components
- Implementation challenges persist in both contexts
(Reporting by Rami Ayyub in Jerusalem and Maya Gebeily in Beirut; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
Key Takeaways
- •The agreement establishes a 10‑day ceasefire starting April 16 but allows Israel to retain deep positions inside southern Lebanon as part of a buffer zone (apnews.com).
- •Lebanon’s government is tasked with taking “meaningful steps” to prevent Hezbollah attacks and asserting sovereignty, though Hezbollah is not disarmed under the deal and continues to resist relinquishing weapons (apnews.com).
- •The deal doesn’t require Israeli withdrawal or Hezbollah disarmament, does not grant Lebanon similar self‑defence rights, and faces uncertainty—Hezbollah warns continued Israeli presence legitimizes resistance, and the ceasefire could be extended only if Lebanon demonstrates authority (apnews.com).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Explainer-What's in the Lebanon ceasefire deal and will it hold?
1What does the Lebanon ceasefire deal entail?
The Lebanon ceasefire deal calls for an initial 10-day cessation of hostilities, Lebanon to curb attacks by groups like Hezbollah, and Israeli forces to halt offensive military operations in Lebanon while maintaining defensive rights.
2Does Israel have to withdraw from southern Lebanon under the deal?
No, the deal does not require Israel to withdraw from positions it holds in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces are expected to remain as part of a security buffer zone.
3Is Hezbollah required to disarm under the Lebanon ceasefire deal?
The deal does not explicitly require Hezbollah's disarmament but recognizes only Lebanese state security forces as having the right to bear arms.
4What is Hezbollah's position on the new ceasefire agreement?
Hezbollah halted fire once the ceasefire began but has not publicly endorsed the deal, objecting to the continued presence of Israeli troops and affirming the right to resist occupation.
5How does this ceasefire differ from previous Lebanon ceasefire agreements?
Unlike earlier deals, this agreement does not mandate Israeli withdrawal or explicitly reference Lebanon's right to self-defense, and does not specifically cover the disarmament of Hezbollah's forces.
