The Lebanese army confirmed the receipt of a soldier abducted by Israel, following the earlier release of four detainees. This series was identified as a goodwill gesture towards Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, in coordination with the United States. The overall context includes a recent US-French mediated truce aimed at stopping hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
On Thursday, the Lebanese army reported the receipt of a soldier abducted by Israel over the past weekend. Israeli authorities had previously handed over four other detainees earlier this week, as part of a goodwill initiative. The army confirmed that the soldier had been transported to a hospital for medical attention after being received through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
This series of releases began on Tuesday when Lebanon welcomed four detainees taken during the recent conflict with Hezbollah. The presidency stated at that time that an additional detainee would be released the following day. According to Israeli statements, the decision to release all five detainees was made as a gesture of goodwill to Lebanon’s recently appointed President Joseph Aoun.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced that this coordination with the United States falls under a broader diplomatic context, facilitated by representatives from Israel, the United States, France, and Lebanon during a meeting in Naqoura. Furthermore, U.S. Deputy Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus articulated that the cohort of released prisoners consisted of both civilians and military personnel.
On November 27, Israel and Lebanon managed to negotiate a truce, mediated by the United States and France, which has substantially reduced aggression between Israeli forces and Hezbollah following a lengthy period of hostilities, including two months of intense warfare. Although the ceasefire is holding, Israel has conducted occasional airstrikes within Lebanon, aimed at hindering Hezbollah’s rearmament efforts along the border.
The recent releases of Lebanese detainees by Israel signify an important diplomatic gesture towards Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun. These actions are framed within the context of a truce that has largely stopped hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah thus far. Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain, as Israel continues to conduct airstrikes in an effort to curb military activities along its northern frontier.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
