‘Ceasefire holding’ in Lebanon: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday said the ceasefire in Lebanon was "holding" despite a series of incidents between Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah.

"The ceasefire is holding, and we're using the mechanism that was established when any concerns have arisen about any alleged or purported violations," Blinken told journalists on the sidelines of a Nato meeting in Brussels.

Both Israel and Hezbollah face accusations of having breached the truce that took effect last Wednesday to end a war that has killed thousands in Lebanon and sparked mass displacements on both sides.

"I think fundamentally, both parties, that is to say, Israel and Hezbollah, through the Lebanese government, wanted and continue to want the cease-fire," said Blinken.

"But we have to make sure that it's upheld. And we're determined to do that," he added.

A committee including France, UN peacekeepers, Israel, Lebanon and chaired by the United States is tasked with maintaining communication between the various parties and ensuring violations are identified and dealt with to avoid any escalation.

Israel stepped up its campaign in south Lebanon in late September after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges by Hezbollah in support of its ally Hamas.

Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly on Tuesday called on Israel to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories and pushed for the creation of a Palestinian state, convening an international conference in June to try to jumpstart a two-state solution.

In a resolution passed by a 157-8 vote, with the United States and Israel among those voting no, and seven abstentions, the Assembly expressed "unwavering support, in accordance with international law, for the two-state solution of Israel and Palestine."

The Assembly said the two states should be "living side by side in peace and security within recognised borders, based on the pre-1967 borders."

It has called for a high-level international meeting in New York in June 2025, to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, to breathe new life into diplomatic efforts to make the two-state solution a reality.

The assembly called for "realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent state."

The United Nations considers the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip to be unlawfully occupied by Israel.

Israel occupied the Gaza Strip in 1967 and maintained troops and settlements there until 2005. Though it has withdrawn, it is still considered the occupying power there.

On the ground, Hamas said it had information that Israel intended to carry out a hostage rescue operation similar to one conducted in Gaza's Nuseirat camp in June and threatened to "neutralise" the captives if any such action took place, according to an internal statement seen by Reuters yesterday.

In the statement dated Nov 22, Hamas told its operatives not to consider what the repercussions of following the instructions might be and said it held Israel responsible for the fate of the hostages.

The statement, which a senior Hamas source told Reuters was circulated to its factions by the intelligence unit of the group's military wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, did not say when any Israeli operation was expected to take place.

Israel launched its campaign in Gaza on Oct 7, 2023.  Israel's military campaign has since killed more than 44,500 Palestinians and injured many others, according to Palestinians figures. The offensive has reduced much of Gaza to rubble.