A ceasefire of ten days has come into effect, Thursday night to Friday, between Israel and Lebanon after a month and a half of conflict. While it brings hope to the Lebanese people, it is already being challenged by accusations of violations. Published on: April 17, 2026, 11:38 Reading time: 6min
Between hopes of de-escalation and initial violations, the ceasefire begins under tension. A ten-day ceasefire took effect overnight from Thursday, April 16th to Friday, April 17th, between Israel and Lebanon, after a month and a half of war. Announced by President Donald Trump, this ceasefire is intended to open the way for discussions between the two countries bordering the Levant. However, just hours after it came into effect, its stability is already in question. Here is what we know.
A ten-day ceasefire announced by Donald Trump The ceasefire came into effect at midnight local time after several weeks of fighting. Announced by Donald Trump, it aims to facilitate discussions, with the American president expressing his desire for “peace” on his Truth Social platform. In response, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the agreement, while Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of a “historic peace” contingent upon Hezbollah’s disarmament. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also supports this initiative. Through its deputy Ibrahim Moussaoui, Hezbollah stated that it would adhere to the ceasefire “provided that it is a complete halt to hostilities… and that Israel does not exploit it for assassinations.”
Emmanuel Macron expressed his “support” for the ceasefire while cautioning against its fragility in a post on X following the announcement. The French President also expressed concern over a ceasefire that could be “already weakened by ongoing military operations.” He also called for “security for the civilian populations of both bordering states,” urging Hezbollah to abandon weapons and Israel to respect Lebanese sovereignty.
Lebanese between relief and fatigue In Beirut, especially in the southern suburb, a stronghold of Hezbollah, celebratory gunfire rang out upon the announcement of the ceasefire. On social media, individuals were seen returning to the southern suburb of the Lebanese capital, which has been heavily targeted in recent weeks, despite official warnings. In these visuals, some waved the yellow flag of Hezbollah or carried portraits of its former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, killed by Israel in 2024. After weeks of airstrikes and mass displacements, this ceasefire represents a real hope.
AFP journalists witnessed massive traffic jams forming at the only bridge still allowing passage across the Litani River to reach southern Lebanon, with motorists waiting for hours in the hope of returning home. Despite this, the Israeli army warned that it would maintain its ground deployment in this region and instructed the population not to return. The Lebanese army also called upon displaced persons to refrain from returning home immediately at this stage.
The war in the Middle East began on March 2 when Hezbollah opened a front against Israel in support of Iran, engaged in a direct conflict with the United States and Israel. Since then, the war has claimed over 2,000 lives in Lebanon and displaced around a million people, according to the UN. Israeli strikes particularly targeted the southern region and the southern suburb of Beirut. The conflict reached a peak of violence on April 8 with an Israeli offensive that resulted in 357 deaths in a single day, termed as a “black Wednesday” by the Lebanese Health Ministry.
A ceasefire already tainted by “acts of aggression” Just hours after the ceasefire came into effect, the Lebanese army condemned “a number of violations of the agreement, with several Israeli acts of aggression recorded,” as well as “sporadic bombings that hit several villages.” Additionally, Hezbollah claimed to have “bombed a gathering of Israeli soldiers” near Khiam in southern Lebanon in response to these violations.
Both sides accuse each other of not respecting the ceasefire, highlighting its fragility from the outset. Until the final minutes before the ceasefire came into effect, Hezbollah continued to claim responsibility for firing shots at northern Israel and Israeli troops on Lebanese soil, while the Israeli military continued its airstrikes.
Initial talks, still very fragile Despite the violations, this ceasefire initiates a new diplomatic phase. Direct talks between Israel and Lebanon, unprecedented in decades, are being considered. Donald Trump mentioned the possibility of a meeting at the White House between Joseph Aoun and Benjamin Netanyahu, an event never seen before given the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries. However, several sticking points remain: Lebanon demands the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the South, while Israel conditions any progress on the disarmament of Hezbollah, two challenging points to reconcile.
In parallel, this ceasefire is part of a broader context of discussions between Washington and Tehran. New negotiations are set to resume in the coming days, according to Donald Trump, following the failure of initial talks in Islamabad, Pakistan. The White House tenant stated that the two sides were “very close” to an agreement, especially regarding the issue of enriched uranium. The outcome of these discussions could directly influence the situation in Lebanon, closely linked to the regional confrontation with Iran.
