Text of the Ceasefire Agreement in Lebanon: Truce Provisions and Sovereignty Guarantees

The US State Department revealed on Thursday evening the full details of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, which officially came into effect at midnight Thursday/Friday. This agreement comes at the initiative of US President Donald Trump, and extends for an initial period of ten days aimed at building trust and opening a path for permanent negotiations.

Article one of the document stipulates a comprehensive cessation of hostilities as a goodwill gesture from both sides, to allow for negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent security and peace agreement. Sources clarified that this period is extendable if tangible progress is made in the talks, and provided that the Lebanese state demonstrates its ability to impose full sovereignty over its territories.

The document included a clause granting Israel what it described as 'the right to take necessary measures for self-defense' against any imminent or ongoing attacks, emphasizing that this right would not be restricted by the cessation of hostilities. In return, Israel pledged not to launch any offensive military operations against civilian, military, or governmental targets within Lebanese territory by air, land, or sea.

Regarding the Lebanese side, the agreement obligated the government to take concrete steps to prevent Hezbollah and any non-governmental armed factions from carrying out hostile activities against Israeli targets. The text stressed that the official Lebanese security forces are the sole authority responsible for protecting national sovereignty, rejecting the presence of any other party claiming the role of guarantor of sovereignty.

The signatory parties requested the United States to facilitate direct negotiations aimed at resolving outstanding issues, foremost among them the demarcation of the international land borders between the two countries. This diplomatic path aims to end the ongoing conflict and achieve comprehensive stability that guarantees the security of border areas on both sides of the Blue Line.

On the ground, sources reported that the Israeli army issued instructions to its forces to prepare for the truce to come into effect, despite the continuation of some military operations until the last minutes. The hours preceding the announcement witnessed intensive raids targeting areas in Tyre and Mount Lebanon, in addition to demolition operations of homes in the border town of Bint Jbeil.

Inside Israel, President Trump's surprising announcement via social media platforms sparked a wave of controversy and political confusion. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to hold an emergency meeting with cabinet ministers by phone to brief them on the details of the proposal drafted by US envoy Steve Witkoff.

Israeli political and media circles criticized the absence of an official announcement from the government before Washington, with some considering that the announcement of 'H-Hour' from abroad reinforces Israel's image as a state under guardianship. Avigdor Lieberman described the agreement as a 'betrayal' of the residents of the north, while others considered it a surrender to international pressure without achieving full military objectives.

For his part, the US President held a phone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, during which the latter affirmed Lebanon's commitment to the diplomatic path to end the aggression. These developments follow a direct meeting held last Tuesday between officials from both sides, described as the first of its kind in decades, to pave the way for this temporary truce.

Official Lebanese statistics indicate that the ongoing Israeli aggression since early March has resulted in heavy human losses, with the number of martyrs exceeding 2,100 people. Military operations have also caused the displacement of more than one million Lebanese from their villages and cities, amidst widespread destruction of infrastructure and residential areas in the South, Bekaa, and the Southern Suburb.

The biggest challenge for this agreement remains its endurance during the first ten days, and the ability of the parties to transition from a temporary ceasefire to a permanent settlement. International circles are cautiously monitoring the extent of commitment of all factions on the ground to the provisions of the American document, given the complexities of the field and political landscape in the region.

These two leaders agreed that in order to achieve peace between their two countries, they would officially begin a 10-day ceasefire.