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.

Three American citizens who had been detained in China for years have been released, Sky’s US partner network NBC News reports.

They are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, a State Department spokesperson said.

It comes after Politico earlier cited an unnamed US administration official as saying years-long attempts to free the trio had finally been successful, in exchange for unidentified Chinese citizens in US custody.

The agreement reportedly came as part of sensitive negotiations which are yet to be announced.

“We are pleased to announce the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung from detention in the People’s Republic of China,” a State Department spokesperson said.

“Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years.

“Thanks to this administration’s efforts and diplomacy with the PRC, all of the wrongfully detained Americans in the PRC are home.”

Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said he had worked closely over the years with Li’s son, Harrison Li, “to speak directly to the highest levels of the Chinese and US governments to advocate for Mr Li’s release and safe return to his family”.

“Even when it felt like there was no hope, we never stopped believing that one day Mr Li would return home,” he said in a statement Wednesday.

For the families of all three freed Americans, “this Thanksgiving there is so much to be thankful for,” he added.

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It comes after the surprise release of US pastor David Lin in September. He had been in jail in China since 2006.

“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China,” a State Department spokesperson said at the time of the release.

“He has returned to the United States and now gets to see his family for the first time in nearly 20 years.”

Washington had long insisted the three were wrongfully detained, but China said such cases were handled according to law.