Netanyahu on ceasefire with Hezbollah: 'We're maintaining full freedom of military action'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a statement to the media this evening (Tuesday) regarding the emerging ceasefire agreement with Lebanon.

In his address, he defended the agreement and responded to criticisms against it.

"I hear the claim that if we enter a ceasefire, we won’t be able to strike or resume the war. But that’s exactly what was said when we implemented a ceasefire to release our captives, and we resumed fighting—significantly," Netanyahu said.

"We will respond forcefully to any violation of the agreement. I know there are those who don’t believe we’ll act, but many also didn’t believe we would launch a ground operation in Gaza, and we did. They didn’t believe we would enter Shifa and Khan Younis, and we did. They didn’t believe we would move into Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor despite international pressure, and not only did we enter, but we also attacked," he continued.

Netanyahu's statement was pre-recorded and he didn't take questions from journalists during its delivery.

The prime minister outlined three reasons that, in his view, justify signing the ceasefire agreement.

"First, focusing on the Iranian threat," he said, refraining from elaborating further.

"Second, the full renewal and replenishment of forces. I’ll say openly: there have been significant delays in the supply of weapons and munitions, and this delay is about to be resolved soon," he stated.

The third reason, according to Netanyahu, is the separation of fronts and the isolation of Hamas.

"Since the second day of the war, Hamas has been relying on Hezbollah to fight alongside it. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left alone. This will assist in the sacred mission of liberating our hostages," the prime minister explained.

At the start of his remarks, Netanyahu listed Israel's achievements in the war so far across the seven fronts where fighting is taking place.

Regarding the Lebanese front, he said: "Hezbollah chose to attack us from there on October 8. A year has passed, and it’s no longer the same Hezbollah. We’ve set them back decades. We eliminated Nasrallah and all the organization's senior members, destroyed most of its missiles and rockets, killed thousands of operatives, and obliterated infrastructure that had been built over the years. We struck throughout Lebanon and brought down dozens of terror buildings in Dahiyeh. The ground in Beirut is shaking."

The Lebanese channel Aljadeed reported that the United States and France will officially announce the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon at 10 p.m. and the White House stated that U.S. President Joe Biden will issue a statement at that time.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati is expected to issue a statement welcoming the agreement. Lebanese Channel NBN reported, citing a source in the Lebanese government, that the ceasefire is expected to take effect tomorrow at 10 a.m.

This morning, it was reported on Kan Radio's Morning Journal that Netanyahu plans to approve the Lebanon ceasefire agreement solely in the Cabinet, without involving the broader government. A political source acknowledged that the deal is fragile but emphasized that it is a clear Israeli interest.

"This is not the end of the war; it’s a ceasefire agreement that will be evaluated daily. It could last two days, or it could last two years."

According to the source, a side letter from the U.S. administration will allow Israel to act against any violation of the ceasefire, including Hezbollah’s rearmament. Netanyahu is expected to hold a conversation with northern regional leaders and give a statement to the media.

On Monday, Kan 11 evening news reported that ahead of presenting the agreement for cabinet approval, Netanyahu summoned all cabinet ministers to persuade them to support the proposed ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

As of now, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir are threatening to oppose the deal but not to dissolve the government.