
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon appears to be largely holding, despite accusations of violations from both sides of the border.
US President Joe Biden said the deal that took effect early Wednesday morning – raising hopes of a lasting respite after a 13-month border conflict that spiraled into an all-out war in September – “is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.”
Since then, thousands of displaced Lebanese people have begun returning to their homes in the south, despite both Lebanon’s army and the Israeli military warning residents not to return home yet.
But a fragile and complicated process must still play out over the next 60 days, and it remains to be seen how permanent the pause will be in the long term.
Here’s what you need to know about the ceasefire and the weeks ahead.
What the deal entails
The deal stipulates a 60-day cessation of hostilities, which negotiators have described as the foundation of a lasting truce. During that time, Hezbollah fighters are expected to retreat some 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Israel-Lebanon border, while Israeli ground forces withdraw from Lebanese territory.