Israel has imposed a last-minute curfew forbidding any Lebanese from crossing into the south of the country.

Starting in the early hours of this morning, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a 60-day pause halting a conflict that has killed thousands in Lebanon and displaced many more.

At 2.30pm UK time (4.30pm locally), Israel’s Arab spokesperson warned movement south of the Litani River in Lebanon is “absolutely forbidden” – starting in half an hour.

Middle East latest as ceasefire begins

“Whoever is north of the Litani River is prohibited from moving south. Whoever is south of the Litani River must remain where he is,” the statement added.

“We remind you that the IDF is still deployed in its positions in southern Lebanon in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement, and our forces will deal firmly with any movement that violates this agreement.”

The ceasefire deal, published by Lebanon’s cabinet, marks an area delineated by a red line labelled “New 2024 line” running east-west across the country.

This area – mostly along the Litani River before diverging slightly north and covering the south of the country – must remain free of Hezbollah weapons, according to the deal.

The terms stipulate only “official military and security forces” in Lebanon are authorised to carry arms, with the foreign minister saying it could deploy at least 5,000 troops.

If Israel believes Hezbollah has violated the terms, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they have the right to attack, though Lebanese and Hezbollah officials reportedly claim otherwise.

The deal expects Hezbollah forces to leave their positions in southern Lebanon and retreat north of the Litani River, US President Joe Biden said.

Israel will withdraw its forces from Lebanon over a period of 60 days, he added, as the Lebanese army takes control of the area to ensure Hezbollah does not rebuild there.

Around an hour after the truce started, Reuters reported streams of cars were already heading to south Lebanon.

Within Israel, there was significant opposition to the ceasefire, with a poll conducted by Israel’s Channel 12 TV station finding 37% were in favour of the ceasefire and 32% against.

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In Lebanon, people cheered on the streets as the truce was confirmed.

Gunfire was also heard in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Beirut after the ceasefire began – it was not clear if it was celebratory.

On Wednesday morning, IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee had urged people not to return to their homes in south Lebanon, saying Israeli forces were still deployed there.

He claimed they were “prohibited” from going back to areas the IDF had asked people to evacuate previously.

The ceasefire will be monitored by an international panel led by the US, along with thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers deployed around the border.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been agreed, to celebrations in Lebanon but scepticism in Israel.

Lebanese people are finally looking forward to some calm after months of heavy bombardment in the capital Beirut and across the country.

An estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced and many towns and villages heavily damaged.

Middle East latest: Israel and Lebanon agree ceasefire

But a snap poll for one Israeli news channel found only 37% of Israelis in favour of the deal.

Not everyone in the Israeli cabinet was supportive of the deal, either.

Itamar Ben-Gvir describes it as “a historic mistake” but didn’t threaten to withdraw his party from government. He was the one person who voted against the truce.

So what have those critics extracted from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in return for their support?

Some have recently been pushing for Israeli occupation of Gaza or annexation of the West Bank.

The concern in Israel largely centres on enforcement and doubts that Hezbollah will stay true to the terms of the deal.

Netanyahu says Israel will strike Hezbollah the moment they show any attempt to rearm or regroup in southern Lebanon, but his willingness to do this deal suggests he is ready to move on from this particular war.

So with little public support, especially among many of his own base, why now?

Well, Netanyahu was honest in his televised statement when he said that the IDF needed to regroup and rearm – fighting on multiple fronts for more than a year has taken its toll, especially among the thousands of reserve soldiers they rely on.

He is also under pressure from the incoming president-elect Donald Trump to wrap up the wars and agreeing this ceasefire was more straightforward than negotiations with Hamas in Gaza.

President Biden spoke of renewed efforts to get a ceasefire in Gaza, and there is hope Hamas will now feel isolated and forced to do a deal.

But the situation in Gaza is far more complex, with the lives of hostages at stake, Hamas’s leaders remain determined to fight and Israel’s plans for the Strip unknown.

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A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is a significant moment, it should and will be welcomed around the world, and it might be enough to calm Iran and the Iraqi militias.

As long as the hostages remain in Gaza, however, and the humanitarian crisis there worsens with the onset of winter rains and lack of aid, the dark clouds will continue to hang over the Middle East.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has begun.

Commencing at 2am UK time (4am local time) on Wednesday, the deal marks a notable step forward in diplomatic efforts in the region.

Previously such talks had floundered and failed to produce results – until this week.

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The deal, brokered by the US and France, was announced by President Joe Biden and will see an initial 60-day halt to the fighting that has claimed thousands of Lebanese lives and displaced over a million people.

It will also allow tens of thousands of people both sides of the border to return home.

Israel will gradually withdraw its forces from Lebanon as the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah leaves its positions in the region, and retreats north of the Litani River – which runs around 30km (20miles) north of the border.

The Lebanese army will take control of the territory to ensure Hezbollah doesn’t rebuild infrastructure there, with the country’s foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib saying it could deploy at least 5,000 troops.

“This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” Mr Biden said.

“Civilians on both sides will soon be able to safely return to their communities,” he added.

There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to attack Hezbollah if it believed the militants had broken the agreement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was part of the deal but Lebanese and Hezbollah officials reportedly claimed otherwise.

“If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack. For every violation, we will attack with might,” Mr Netanyahu said.

Mr Biden said Israel had the right to quickly resume operations if Hezbollah did break the truce.

Within Israel, there was not total support for the ceasefire, with a poll conducted by Israel’s Channel 12 TV finding that 37% of Israelis were in favour of the ceasefire, and 32% against.

In Lebanon, people cheered on the streets as it was confirmed.

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With less than half an hour to go until the ceasefire, Israel was still launching strikes on Beirut.

In the days and hours before, it had unleashed a wave of attacks across Lebanon, killing at least 42 people according to Associated Press.

Explosions lit up Lebanon’s skies in the day before the ceasefire with both Beirut and the port city of Tyre targeted by Israel as its cabinet discussed, and eventually voted for, the peace offer.

Israel also later launched strikes at the north Lebanon crossing with Syria for the first time, according to Lebanon’s transport minister Ali Hamieh.

The most recent deaths mean at least 3,760 people have been killed in Lebanon in the 13 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which includes the two months since the ground invasion.

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Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people.

In Israel, Hezbollah rockets have struck as far south as Tel Aviv and at least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians.

But while the ceasefire will end hostilities in Lebanon, worries over the situation in Gaza continued.

Charities have repeated warnings of a humanitarian crisis in parts of the enclave and the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said that the coming winter would lead to more deaths as well.

Meanwhile, Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages who have spent more than a year captive.