Israel completed the release of five Lebanese civilian detainees this week as part of US-mediated negotiations with Beirut, the first such handover since the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah broke out in March.
Handover Tied to Search for Missing Jewish Remains
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the release came after Lebanon assisted in efforts to locate and return the remains of Lebanese Jewish community leaders who went missing during the country’s civil war decades ago. One detainee, Malek Kamal Ghazi, was released Thursday, followed by four more on Friday, including Hussein Ayash and Mohammed Juheir, a fisherman from the border town of Naqoura, according to the Associated Press.
The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed it facilitated the transfers at the request of both parties, saying the individuals were handed over “with full respect for the safety and dignity” of those involved, according to JNS.
Lebanon Thanks Washington for Its Role
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun thanked the United States for its efforts in securing the release, according to Al Jazeera, while Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said his government would keep working “until the release of all our prisoners” and toward disclosing the fate of those still missing, along with a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
The agreement was finalized during a meeting in Jerusalem between Netanyahu, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, according to the Times of Israel.
Dozens of Detainees Remain
The ICRC said it has not had access to detainees held in Israel since October 2023, and called for its teams to be granted access to those still in custody, saying many families in Lebanon remain uncertain about the fate of missing loved ones. Sources close to the prisoners’ commission said roughly 35 Lebanese detainees remain in Israeli custody, including 20 civilians.
Israel and Lebanon, which do not maintain diplomatic relations, entered direct negotiations after the latest war between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah began in March, with talks expected to continue in the coming weeks.
Both governments described the exchange as a modest but meaningful step after months of hostilities, though officials on both sides cautioned that broader issues, including a full ceasefire and Israeli troop withdrawal from the Lebanese security zone, remain unresolved.
