Israeli cease-fire violations prove Lebanon's need for resistance: Naim Qassem | Live

Gaza

The Islamic Jihad has released a video of the Israeli hostage set to be freed on Thursday.

South Lebanon

Kamal Ahmad, who was detained today by the Israeli army at the entrance to Wazzani (Marjayoun) as villagers attempted to enter, has been released, according to our correspondent.

Gaza

Gaza's government reports that 300,000 displaced people have returned to the north, according to AFP.

The Israeli army and Hamas reported that two Hamas fighters were killed in an airstrike in Tulkarem, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

“As part of a joint operation by the Israeli army and Shin Bet (internal security), an air force aircraft launched (...) an attack in the Tulkarem area,” said an Israeli military statement.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the deceased as Ramez Damiri and Ihab Abu Atwi. According to the Israeli army, the latter was “the Hamas leader in Tulkarem,” responsible for “multiple armed attacks, including one targeting an Israeli vehicle,” which left three injured in July 2024.

Hamas, for its part, stated that the two members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, its armed wing, were killed “after the enemy detonated a vehicle they were in, at the Nour Shams camp in the Tulkarem governorate,” in the northern West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. Hamas did not confirm whether Abu Atwi was its leader in Tulkarem.

Gaza's Health Ministry reported 47,317 killed since Israel's war on Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, a toll that has risen despite the cease-fire, as the Civil Defense discovers bodies under the rubble.

According to the ministry, 11 bodies have been brought to hospitals in the Palestinian territory over the past 24 hours, including nine found since the truce began on Jan. 19.

The war has also left 111,494 people injured, the ministry said.

Mohammad Ghannam, President of the Marwahine Municipal Council, told L'Orient-Le Jour that the Lebanese Army entered the town in the afternoon. He added, however, that the Israelis were still on Jabal Blatt, and that when some residents entered the town to visit their homes, an Israeli tank came towards them, forcing them to leave.

Lebanese TV station LBCI reports that one of its crews was attacked “by a group of young men” along the Khardali road (Marjayoun). The men attacked the station's vehicle and camera.

(Credit: NNA)

The Lebanese Army and residents of Yohmor al-Shaqqif, in the district of Nabatieh, laid to rest Lebanese soldier Mohammad Youssef Zahour, who was killed Sunday by Israeli gunfire on the Marwahine-Dhaira road in the Sour district.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson and American Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, head of the international cease-fire monitoring committee.

"Lebanon has fulfilled the measures required by the agreement, but Israel continues to delay its implementation and violates U.N. Resolution 1701 repeatedly," Mikati said. "After consultations with the president and speaker of Parliament, and to deny Israel any pretext for not withdrawing from all Lebanese territory, the government has agreed to continue adhering to the cease-fire until Feb. 18."

Mikati called for "pressure" to be exerted to "stop Israeli aggression, end repeated violations and ensure the full withdrawal of Israel from occupied territories in the South."

The Lebanese Army announced in a statement that it had deployed in the town of Deir Mimas "following the withdrawal of the Israeli army and in coordination with the committee monitoring the cease-fire agreement."

South Lebanon

Residents of Aitaroun have decided to camp out and spend the night in front of the sand barrier set up by the Israeli army at the entrance of their village, reports our correspondent.

South Lebanon

The Israeli army is firing towards houses in Robb Thalathin (Marjayoun district), according to information from our correspondent.

At the end of his speech, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem addressed the election of Joseph Aoun as president and the issue of government formation in Lebanon. He stated that without the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, "the presidential election would not have taken place in this manner," adding that "this reflects national unity."

"We acted wisely because we want a country and a government," Qassem said, noting cooperation with Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam. "The complications in forming the government are not our responsibility," he added.

"Everyone wants their share of the pie," he remarked, before assuring, "Everything is fine between us, the president and the prime minister. There are no obstacles."

Qassem: Israel must withdraw within 60 days, and we will not accept any justification to extend that deadline by even a single day.

Qassem: The triad of the army, the people and the resistance is what prevented Israel from reaching Beirut and north of the Litani River.

Qassem: We do not accept extending the duration of the cease-fire. We are confident that President Aoun will not allow Israel to gain anything. Neither [Parliament Speaker] Nabih Berri nor [caretaker Prime Minister] Najib Mikati would accept extending the cease-fire. Any delay in the withdrawal will be the responsibility of the U.N., the United States and France.

Qassem: We are facing an occupation that continues its aggression and refuses to withdraw. The resistance has the right to act as it deems appropriate regarding the form, nature and timing of the confrontation.

Qassem: The aggressor requested an end to its aggression under certain conditions, and we accepted because we did not want the war to begin with and did not choose to start it.

We accepted the cease-fire agreement because the state decided to protect its borders and expel Israel. This is an opportunity for the state to fulfill its duties and test its political capacity.

We respected this agreement and chose to remain patient, refraining from responding to Israeli violations despite the feelings of humiliation and acts of retaliation.

Qassem: Yes, we are victorious because we have reclaimed this land, and because the occupier will have to withdraw thanks to our resistance. The fighters never left the field; the resistance remains steadfast and strong.

The violations of the cease-fire agreement show that the country still needs the resistance.

The resistance is victorious through its faith and determination, as well as through the cease-fire. It is victorious because the enemy failed to eliminate it. It is victorious thanks to the people who returned to the border villages.

Qassem: With the cease-fire, we are entering a new phase. We are determined to respect the agreement, whereas Israel has already violated it around 1,350 times.

At one point, we considered responding but were advised to be patient.

"Our supporters did not expect us to lose so many leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah," admitted Naim Qassem, acknowledging that Israeli intelligence and technology gave the Israeli state an advantage. "We are currently conducting an investigation to take the necessary measures. The resistance cannot be stronger militarily; its strength lies in its faith, its youth, its women and its sacrifices."

Qassem: The displaced were united and supported the fighters on the front lines. (...) The Lebanese Army made sacrifices (...). We cannot forget the support of Iran and the Iranian and Iraqi peoples. The Israeli enemy was unable to advance or sow discord among Lebanon’s various sects.

Qassem: The resistance in Lebanon, in all its components, stood firm with legendary resilience, exceptional courage and sacrificial commitment that proved its effectiveness on the battlefield. Faced with this stalemate, Israel requested a cease-fire through the United States, and we accepted this request in coordination with the Lebanese state, which constitutes a victory.

Qassem: The victory in Gaza is a victory for the Palestinian people and for all the people of the region who supported them, as well as for all the free people of the world who showed their solidarity.

We congratulate the martyrdom-loving Palestinian people and their resistance to achieving the cease-fire. We also extend our congratulations to our partners in victory — the Islamic Republic, Yemen and Lebanon.

Qassem: The resistance demonstrated exceptional courage and a willingness to sacrifice on the battlefield. Everyone witnessed the heroes of the resistance in action on the ground (…) There was an Israeli plan to eliminate Hezbollah, but we returned stronger.

Qassem: Israel appeared as a war criminal and could only recover its prisoners through an agreement with the Palestinian resistance.

Naim Qassem paid tribute to Sheikh Mohammad Hamadi, killed last week in Mashghara. Born in 1963, Sheikh Hamadi had been in charge of Hezbollah’s office in West Bekaa since 1992.

"The treacherous hands assassinated Sheikh Mohammad Hamadi, and investigations are still ongoing, but eyes are turning toward the Zionists," he said.

"The aggression in Lebanon occurred with American and Western support. Israel has greater military power [than Hezbollah], but we are stronger in terms of our rights and our ability to face any challenges. Mark my words: this is a victory," said Qassem.

Naim Qassem paid tribute to Gaza for the cease-fire and to Iran for “their support.”

He thanked Yemen and Iraq, as well as Lebanon for “offering Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to support Gaza.”

“The Palestinian cause is back in the spotlight. The Israeli attempt to destroy Hamas and the resistance has failed,” he said.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has begun his speech.

South Lebanon

The majority of residents hoping to return to their villages today were unable to do so, according to our correspondent.

In the Marjayoun district:

In Houla (Marjayoun district), residents were unable to advance more than 10 meters beyond the town's entry point, even though the Lebanese Army was due to deploy in the village.

In Mais al-Jabal, some managed to reach the western outskirts of the village.

In Yarin, a few people entered on foot but had to turn back.

The inhabitants of Wazzani, trying to return, had to take refuge in the neighboring village of Ain Arab from Israeli attacks.

Those from Markaba, Bani Hayyan and Kfar Kila had to stay in Burj al-Moulouk, also because of Israeli attacks.

In the Bint Jbeil district:

Residents of Aitaroun, where the Israeli army was due to withdraw at 8 a.m. this morning, came under Israeli fire as they tried to approach the sand barrier at the entrance to their village. A similar situation occurred at the entrance to Dhaira, in the Sour district.

Robb Thalathin and Maroun al-Ras residents were also unable to return to their villages.

South Lebanon

The Israeli army carried out an explosion in the western district of Mais al-Jabal, in the Marjayoun district, reports our correspondent. Earlier in the day, our correspondent reported unsuccessful attempts by the Lebanese Army to enter and deploy in the town.

South Lebanon

Georges Nakad, Chairman of the Deir Mimas Municipal Council (Marjayoun district), told L'Orient-Le Jour that the Israeli army withdrew from the town today and that the Lebanese Army has entered.

“The Israeli army is now positioned on its eastern borders, on the Kfar Kila side,” he added, adding that the return of residents to the village would have to wait until the "situation stabilizes, with the Israeli army just a few steps away."

Nakad also reported that Civil Defense was able to recover five bodies today, between Deir Mimas and Kfar Kila.

South Lebanon

Two bodies were extracted from an area located between Ramieh and Jabal Blatt (Bint Jbeil), a source with the al-Rissala Scouts, affiliated with the Amal Movement, told L'Orient Today's correspondent.

South Lebanon

The Israeli army blew up a building in Kfar Kila (Marjayoun), L'Orient Today's correspondent reported. The explosion resonated in the surrounding villages, and towering columns of smoke rose from the site.

South Lebanon

A video is circulating on social media showing how a father, Moussa Alawieh, was killed on Sunday by Israeli gunfire as he entered his village of Aitaroun with his family, in his car.

According to L'Orient Today's correspondent, the family was surprised by the presence of the Israeli army, which opened fire in their direction. The driver tried to reverse, but it was already too late. The video also shows a man sitting next to the driver, trying to protect himself.

Gaza

Eight of the hostages due to be released in the first phase of a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip have died, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said Monday, AFP reported.

"The families have been informed of the situation of their loved ones," the official said during a press briefing. This means that of the 26 hostages who have yet to be returned to their country in the first phase of the agreement, only 18 are still alive.

A source close to Hezbollah told AFP on Monday that seven fighters from the group had been taken prisoner by the Israeli army during the war between them. 

"Seven Hezbollah fighters were taken prisoner" by Israel before the cease-fire that ended the fighting on Nov. 27, 2024, said the source, who requested anonymity.

In addition, four people were arrested by the Israeli army on Sunday in border villages in southern Lebanon, where residents entered in their hundreds without waiting for the Israeli withdrawal, the source added.

The Lebanese army launched several unsuccessful attempts to enter and deploy in Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun) according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

The Israeli army maintained its positions at the western entrance to the town, opposite the position of the UNIFIL forces in Mfeylha, firing towards anyone approaching the sand barrier it recently erected. The Lebanese army had nevertheless been informed in the morning of the withdrawal of the Israeli army.

In Khiam, all the houses are destroyed or almost, according to L'Orient Today's journalists on the ground. (Credit: Mohammed Yassine)

In Khiam, the walls of one of the few remaining villas bear the inscription in English "Thank you for your hospitality, the Abbas family," signed by the Israeli army, alongside instructions in Hebrew, according to L'Orient Today's journalists. Food waste litters the floor. Open cans and bottles of water lie everywhere, even on the armchair, a sign of the presence of enemy soldiers.

In the village, Hezbollah supporters from all over the country visit the place. Nisrine, a resident, has returned from Nabatieh after several months in exile.

“What a shock! I don’t recognize my village anymore. I held out for seven months with our fighters until the Israeli strikes reached the central square. After that, I left. It’s so sad,” she said, smoking her hookah.

" In accordance with the hostage agreement, the Netzarim vehicle crossing [corridor] began operating today and is controlling Gazans crossing to the north," a senior Israeli official was quoted as saying by Haaretz on Monday.

According to him, "the vehicle crossing is designed to prevent the transfer of heavy weapons to the northern Gaza Strip, and it is managed by a multinational consortium of companies, including an American security company that carries out the monitoring. Israel will continue to act against any violation of the agreement."

 In Markaba, Israeli fire against residents trying to return home left one dead and four injured, among them a soldier of the Lebanese army, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

In Khiam everything is destroyed, according to L'Orient Today's journalists on the ground. (Screenshot of a video by Lyana Alameddine)

As soon as you enter the village of Khiam (Marjayoun), everything is razed, according to L'Orient Today's journalists on the ground. The houses are on the ground. Sometimes, a gutted facade still stands. Rows of cars are burnt out. On both sides of the road, the Lebanese army is positioned. Portraits of the assassinated leader of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah stand here and there.

Returning residents try to sweep away the dust that has gathered. Groups of residents gather to pay tribute to the martyrs. Religious chants rise up, while drones fly over the town. On some walls, inscriptions in Hebrew, are accompanied by numbers.

"It's very hard to see this," sighed a 19-year-old woman who came from Baalbeck with a Hezbollah-affiliated movement. "But at least we are victorious, thank God."

A Beirut man, who preferred to remain anonymous, came to see his house and collect some items. "I don't feel anything. I must still be in shock. I thought there was something left of my house. But everything is on the ground," he said.

Regarding the war, he gave his opinion, in opposition to that of many others: "We have had many martyrs, we have lost everything, but let us give thanks to God. This war should never have taken place."

Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon fired on residents trying to return to their homes, leaving one dead and seven injured today, according to the Health Ministry.

In Odaisseh there was one dead and two injured, in Bani Hayyan two injured, in Yaroun one injured and in Houla two injured.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem is scheduled to speak today at 6:30 p.m., according to the party.

Iran purchased Russian-made Sukhoi-35 fighter jets, deputy coordinator of the Khatam-al Anbia central headquarters Ali Shadmani said on Monday, according to the Student News Network, cited by Reuters. The coordinator did not specify whether the planes had been delivered to Iran.

Hamas has handed over to mediators of the Gaza cease-fire deal a list showing that 25 Israeli hostages are still alive, out of 33 who were scheduled to be released, a Hamas official told Reuters on Monday.

They added that Israel had received this list from the mediators.

Three people were injured in Houla (Marjayoun) by Israeli gunfire as they tried to return to their village, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent. According to a resident, the Israeli army fired randomly as soon as the residents advanced into the village a few dozen meters.

Unconfirmed reports said that one person was killed and four were injured, one seriously, in Odeisseh (Marjayoun), after the Israeli army fired on residents who were trying to enter the village.

The Palestinian population should not be expelled from Gaza, the German Foreign Ministry said on Monday, after U.S. President Donald Trump said Jordan and Egypt should host Palestinians during reconstruction efforts in the strip, Reuters reported.

"The Palestinian population must not be expelled from Gaza and Gaza must not be permanently occupied or recolonized by Israel," a German Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in response to Trump's comments, adding that he shared this view with "the European Union, our Arab partners [and] the United Nations."

Jordan is already home to several million Palestinians, while tens of thousands live in Egypt. Both countries, along with other Arab nations, reject the idea of ​​Gaza's Palestinians being transferred to their country.

Cars have been waiting for hours at the entrance to Aitaroun. (Credit: Lucile Wasssermann/L'Orient Today)

Residents have been waiting for hours at the entrance to Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil), hoping to be able to return home, reported L'Orient Today's journalists.

In the shadow of a gutted building, Fadel and Abbas share a hookah while watching cars stuck in a traffic jam. "Yesterday, we almost died. We walked to Aitaroun, and the Israeli tanks were right in front of us. Then they started shooting, and six people were martyred," Abbas says.

Manal Kassem was already there yesterday. 

"The first to enter Aitaroun yesterday, Abdel Hassan Mrad, is a close friend. He fell as a martyr, and his body rests in the morgue of the Bint Jbeil Hospital, waiting to be buried in the village."

A man was hit by Israeli gunfire in south Lebanon, while he was trying to enter the village of Houla (Marjayoun). The Lebanese army continued to prevent displaced residents from returning to their homes, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

The Lebanese army announced in a statement that it had carried out patrols and "arrested several people while pursuing others involved" after the motorized parades of supporters of the Amal Movement and Hezbollah in Christian neighborhoods of the capital the day before.

The situation in south Lebanon since noon:

- Israeli drones flew over south Lebanon. Around 1 p.m., a drone flew over Nabatieh at very low altitude.

- Residents of Kfar Kila cut off the road from Khardali to Marjayoun to protest against the obstacles preventing them from returning to their village.

- Residents of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil) came under Israeli fire as they tried to advance towards the sand barrier erected by the Israeli army at the entrance to their village. A similar situation was observed at the entrance to Dhaira (Sour).

- Residents of Rab al-Thalathine (Marjayoun) gathered in front of the headquarters of the Indonesian UNIFIL forces in Aadsheet Qoussair, asking the soldiers to accompany them to return to their village.

- So far, the residents have not managed to enter the villages of Aitaroun, Houla (Marjayoun), Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun), Kfar Kila (Marjayoun), Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil), Bani Hayyan (Marjayoun) and Wazzani (Marjayoun). They remain gathered at the entrances of their villages, alongside the Lebanese army.

At the entrance to Kfar Kila, Sarah, 20, returned for the second day in a row. Her uncle, who was a member of the health committee, died "as a martyr" during the conflict, along with two of his companions. "It is our right to return home," she told L'Orient Today.

Amidst the Hezbollah partisan flags, rare Lebanese flags, carried by demonstrators or hoisted on an ambulance parked on the side of the road. Veiled women display the portraits of their martyrs. One hundred to two hundred people wait on the road.

A three-year-old girl, dressed in Lebanese army fatigues, wrapped a Lebanese flag around her head. She was accompanied by her mother and sister who say they were not afraid the day before, despite the gunfire.

"We stayed to say that we want to go home," her mother, Fatima, said.

"The army must side with us," she stated, regretting "political decisions that show the opposite."

"If I had to choose between the army and the resistance, I would choose the resistance," she added.

The head of the Arnoun municipality (Nabtieh), Fawaz Katbi, told L'Orient Today's correspondent that he received a phone call from a person who claimed to be part of the Israeli army, asking him not to allow the residents of Arnoun to return to their homes until the cease-fire deadline expires.

He said that half of the village's residents have already returned home.

(Credit: Mohammed Yassine)

At the last checkpoint of the Lebanese army at the entrance to Kfar Kila, before the sand barrier erected by the Israeli army, a 35-year-old woman, displaced since December 2023, came with her 15-year-old son.

"It is dangerous, we are aware of it. But the stakes are worth it, because it is our land that is under occupation, our martyrs. I want my son to remain attached to his land, to sacrifice his life for his land," she told L'Orient Today.

"Why did all the displaced people return, except the population of Kfar Kila? The state should protect us, and the army should enter first," she questioned.

At the Marjeyoun bakery, Joumana Bou Rahal, 53, displaced from Burj al-Moulouk (Marjayoun), said that her home has now become a demarcation line, reported L'Orient Today journalist.

"The Israelis are still posted next to my house. But the Lebanese army is watching," she said, adding that she does not want to go there.

"I do not want to be targeted," she stated, criticizing "those who endanger the Lebanese army and the ambulance workers."

"I want to go home so badly, but we have to wait for the army to enter [the village]," she sighed.

"Israeli attacks on residents returning to their homes in the still-occupied villages of south Lebanon have left 24 people dead since Sunday, including 6 women," the Health Ministry's emergency operations center said on Monday.

These shootings against crowds of civilians also left 134 people injured, including 14 women and 12 children.

In Aitaroun, hundreds of vehicles wait to enter the village. (Credit: Lucile Wassermann)

At the entrance to Aitaroun, hundreds of vehicles are blocked. Khalil is back for the second day in a row.

"The day before, five people were killed trying to get in. The residents are there again, waiting for the Lebanese army to give them access, with an Israeli drone flying over it," he told L'Orient Today journalists. 

At the Marjayoun Hospital, where L'Orient Today journalists visited:

At the entrance to the emergency room, where there were no more wounded, the family of the victim Khadija Ahmad Najem, from Kfar Kila, prepared for the funeral and recounted how the Kfar Kila resident was killed, after being shot in the head by the Israeli army.

"We were standing in front of the stone wall erected by the Israeli army when the soldiers aimed at us. Khadija died instantly," her brother-in-law stated.

On a bench, a woman was in tears.

"As the drone flew over our heads, she was screaming, asking the protesters what they were waiting for to enter, and if they were waiting for permission from the Israeli. That's when she was shot in the head," Zeinab, the victim's niece, who was standing next to her, said. "We are going to enter our village. The blood of our martyrs was not shed in vain."

Two rescuers from the al-Rissala Scouts Association in Bani Hayyan (Marjayoun) were injured following an Israeli drone strike, L'Orient Today's correspondent reports.

L'Orient Today journalists are at the Marjayoun Hospital in south Lebanon, which received 23 wounded people transported from Kfar Kila on Sunday. They were shot in the neck, hands, legs or back. Three of them succumbed to their injuries, according to the medical staff. They are Khadija Najem, injured in the head, Ali Jaber, injured in the stomach, and Ali Ahmad, injured in the chest.

According to a Kfar Kila resident who works at Marjayoun Hospital, the Israeli army built a sand wall to prevent residents from returning to their village. But residents gathered at the entrances to the village.

According to employees, the Israeli army continues to broadcast messages to residents advising them not to travel to the south. "Do not come to the territories that put you in danger. We want your safety. We will warn you when you can," said a nurse.

Hassan Khalil Khalil, 53, wounded from Kfar Kila, said he was "preparing to return to his village and make the Israelis leave."

"The Lebanese army tried to stop us, but we insisted on moving forward. I was not armed. The Israeli soldier shot me because he was afraid of me. He aimed at my left leg. But that is the least of my worries. When I am better, I will go down again and stand in front of him," he stated proudly. At his side, his daughters, aged 12, 18 and 21, are worried about his health but promise to continue the fight.

Two Israeli army reservists are accused of acting on behalf of Iran and receiving payment for their services, Haaretz reports.

The Israeli army detained a resident of the town of Wazzani (Marjeyoun) after the residents advanced towards the entrance of the village, on the side of the agricultural zone of Rihana. The Israeli army had fired in their direction to intimidate them, L'Orient Today's correspondent said.

Israeli forces also opened fire on residents of the town of Dhaira (Sour), according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

The Lebanese army is preparing to enter the town of Houla (Marjayoun), while residents wait behind the soldiers, L'Orient Today's correspondent reports.

In Bani Hayyan (Marjayoun), an Israeli drone launched a bomb near Lebanese army personnel and vehicles of the local municipality, at the time of the opening of the road.

For the first time in several months, a helicopter of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrolled the skies above the border villages and flew over Wadi Slouqi as well as Wadi al-Hujair (Marjayoun), L'Orient Today's correspondent reported.

The European Union foreign minister, Kaja Kallas, expects a decision by Jan. 27 on easing sanctions against Syria.

"We expect a decision today to draw up a road map for easing sanctions," Kallas said ahead of a foreign ministers' meeting. The European Union wants to help rebuild the war-ravaged country and build relations with its new leaders, who have regularly called for sanctions to be lifted.

After being informed of the withdrawal of the Israeli army at 8 a.m. this morning and the imminent entry of the Lebanese army accompanying the residents, the president of the municipal council of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil), Salim Mrad, called on the population not to touch suspicious objects or unexploded munitions left by the Israeli army, and "not to eat any food from the remains of enemy soldiers."

On Sunday night, two large explosions were heard yesterday evening in Kfar Kila (Marjayoun) around 10 p.m. According to L'Orient Today's correspondent, these were demolition operations carried out by the Israeli army, which is going through the neighborhoods and homes.

Also, a number of residents of Yaroun (Bint Jbeil) spent the night at the entrance of the village to be ready to return there this morning, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent. The same scene took place in the locality of Maroun al-Ras.

Local authorities have called on residents of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil) not to approach the Lebanese-Israeli border and not to go to the outlying areas of the village, at the risk of putting their lives in danger, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

They also called on the population not to approach or pick up suspicious objects left by the Israeli army.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday evening that negotiations with Hamas had been unblocked, allowing the release of three hostages on Thursday and three more on Saturday, in exchange for allowing displaced people from Gaza to return to the north of the territory.

Israel will also allow the return of thousands of displaced people to the northern Gaza Strip from today. 

The return of displaced Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip is a "victory"  against "plans to occupy" the territory and forcibly "displace" Palestinians, Hamas said this morning.

Displaced residents of Kfar Shouba (Hasbaya) announced their intention to return home today.

Similarly, residents of Khiam (Marjayoun) took to the road to return home today, for the second consecutive day, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.

(Photo sent by L'Orient Today's correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)

The Lebanese army set up a roadblock at the entrance to the town of Bani Hayyan, towards Markaba (Marjeyoun), according to L'Orient Today's correspondent. The municipality also started to open and rehabilitate the roads leading to  Wadi Slouqi.

The Israeli army announced, through its Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee, that it had redeployed to several locations in south Lebanon "in accordance with the cease-fire agreement," to "enable the gradual and effective deployment of the Lebanese armed forces" and "the dismantling of Hezbollah's infrastructure," while specifying that it had delayed its withdrawal to complete this operation.

He accused Hezbollah of trying, "through its spokesmen, to re-increase tensions in the region" and believes that the party is solely responsible for the destruction in this part of the country.

"In the near future, we will maintain this approach and inform you of the places where you can return," the spokesperson added, calling for respect for the prohibitions "previously published."

In the Bint Jbeil district, construction equipment was mobilized to remove the rubble blocking the entrance to the town of Aitaroun, L'Orient Today's correspondent said.

Although the roads were expected to be opened around 9 a.m., residents had not yet been able to enter the town at the time of writing. L'Orient Today's correspondent added that it was not clear at this stage whether the Israeli army had left the town or not.

"The municipalities and the inhabitants" of the region which is mainly under the influence of the the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, are calling on the population to go en masse to the following border regions where the Israeli army is still present, reported L'Orient Today's correspondent.

The villages mentioned are Marwahin (Sour), Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil), Yaroun (Bint Jbeil), Kfar Kila (Marjayoun), Odaisseh (Marjayoun), Rab al-Thalathine (Marjayoun), Markaba (Marjayoun), Houla (Marjayoun), Meis al-Jabal (Marjayoun), Blida (Marjayoun), Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil) and Wazzani (Marjayoun).

Abdel Menhem Choucair, the head of the municipality of Meis al-Jabal (Marjayoun), told L'Orient Today's correspondent in south Lebanon that he had been informed of the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the village. He added that the Lebanese army had entered it and that the residents could return there in the morning.

Additional reinforcements from the Lebanese army have already arrived on the outskirts of the village, the head of the municipality said.

Despite Israel's decision to remain in southern Lebanon after the expiration of the 60-day deadline for the withdrawal of its army set by the Nov. 27 cease-fire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, many Lebanese decided on Sunday to ignore Tel Aviv's statements prohibiting them from returning to border villages.

L'Orient Today journalists were in Aita al-Shaab, a village deserted since the start of the conflict on Oct. 8, 2023, to witness the return of the inhabitants to their land.

Read the report here.

The Lebanese government said Monday that it agreed to extend the cease-fire agreement with Israel until Feb. 18, after American mediation, as Israel failed to meet the deadline to withdraw its troops from the south of the country.

Under the agreement that ended the war between Hezbollah and Israel on Nov. 27, the Israeli army was supposed to have completed its withdrawal from southern Lebanon on Sunday, where only the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers will now be able to be deployed.

But Israel announced Friday that the operation would continue beyond that date, saying the deal had not been fully implemented by Lebanon. The White House said Sunday that the deal had been extended until Feb. 18.

Later in the evening, Washington confirmed the extension of the agreement.

Be sure to read the Morning Brief so you are caught up with what has been happening.

22 killed, 124 injured by Israeli fire in southern Lebanon; 4 Israeli hostages, 200 Palestinian detainees freed: Everything you need to know this Monday

22 killed, 124 injured by Israeli fire in southern Lebanon; 4 Israeli hostages, 200 Palestinian detainees freed: Everything you need to know this Monday

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