Yisrael Katz Says Israel Will Not Withdraw Troops From Lebanon, Gaza, And Syria

Toggle Play Israel vows to keep troops in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has said that Israel “will under no circumstances” withdraw its troops from security zones in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria. His remarks come almost two months after a deal for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Published On 12 Aug 202612 Aug 2026 Save Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo More from the same show Why tariffs are not the right tool to bolster US production Video Duration 01 minutes 17 seconds play-arrow01:17 Leavitt to leave as White House press secretary Video Duration 01 minutes 34 seconds play-arrow01:34 Three Palestinian families besieged in their homes by Israeli settlers !Israeli settlers Video Duration 02 minutes 00 seconds play-arrow02:00 Solar eclipse carves Eiffel Tower’s silhouette in Paris sky Video Duration 01 minutes 42 seconds play-arrow01:42 Olympic skateboarder times epic stunt with solar eclipse Video Duration 00 minutes 27 seconds play-arrow00:27 Half a tonne of Erling Haaland branded cocaine seized in Ecuador Video Duration 00 minutes 29 seconds play-arrow00:29 Thousands missing after Colombia quake as rescue continues Video Duration 01 minutes 58 seconds play-arrow01:58 [](https://www.aljazeera.com/) Your browser does not support the audio element. audio-rewind audio-play audio-forward * audio-volume-mute close You rely on Al Jazeera for truth and transparency We and our 1019 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Allow all enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. Selecting Reject all or withdrawing your consent will disable them. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Manage preferences link on the bottom of the webpage. Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy. We and our partners process data to provide: Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development. List of Partners (vendors) Allow all Reject all Manage preferences

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced that the Israeli army will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, which drew criticism from the U.S. State Department for his statements. During a visit to Lebanon yesterday, Katz said, "I issued instructions to the Israeli Defense Forces to take all necessary steps to prepare for a long-term presence in the region," according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. His statements were not well received in the United States, and a State Department official later said Washington "expects all parties to act within the framework they agreed upon, and Israel has made clear that it does not seek any regional ambitions in Lebanon." According to the official, the permanent military presence in southern Lebanon does not conform with the framework’s obligations or with long-term peace and security for both states. He added that the United States fully supports Lebanon's territorial unity and sovereignty, and that the framework clearly provides for a gradual redeployment tied to the confirmed disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantling of its infrastructure. In the same vein, Channel 12 of Israel reported a critique from the U.S. State Department of statements by Israeli Defense Minister Katz.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz reiterated from southern Lebanon, in a statement, his determination to keep Israeli forces in the areas occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon as well as in Syria and the Gaza Strip. Katz explained, according to a statement from his office, “As I and the Prime Minister have clearly stated, we will not withdraw from this security area.” He added that the army is here to protect settlements in northern Israel and its forces. We will work to cleanse this area; we will not withdraw from the security zones under any circumstances: not in Lebanon, not in Syria, not in Gaza. Katz noted that the army is “demolishing underground infrastructure” in the region and “destroying every home.”

Standing two months away from the three-year anniversary of the start of the Israel-Hamas War, The Jerusalem Post has recently interviewed and spoken to top current and former defense officials, some of whom rarely speak to the media, to provide a broader view of where Israel stands on all of the military fronts. Some major points remain under serious debate, while some points have hardened into a new consensus. Regarding the broader consensus points, from Right to Left, top Israeli defense officials believe the country must maintain some kind of security zone in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria for years to come. Defense officials back long-term Gaza security zone The Post understands that this remains true despite recent deals with Hamas in Gaza and the Lebanese government, as well as rising pressure from the US on those fronts and with Syria for Israeli withdrawals. In contrast, there is disagreement between top defense officials about how to handle US pressure and how much to bend on some related withdrawal issues in order to maintain broader American support. For example, the Post has learned that a majority of top Israeli defense officials are in favor of allowing the Palestinian Authority to take over Gaza from Hamas, and criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for being an obstacle to this process. They would prefer moving forward with the PA more rapidly than Netanyahu has, though there is a minority that supports the prime minister’s insistence on the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) as a sort of pressure point on the PA-connected officials to have to answer to the US Board of Peace. Moving forward with the PA or NCAG is preferred despite heavy doubts that they will fully succeed at displacing Hamas as the main military power in Gaza. Rather, they support giving the PA or NCAG a larger role in Gaza regardless of how much disarming Hamas succeeds and regardless of how long the process is drawn out. There are also disagreements about how much Israel should be willing to withdraw from Gaza in exchange for Hamas carrying out partial disarming and partial delegating of political powers. While a minority wish to hold on to maximum territory in Gaza, a majority are willing to withdraw to a smaller security zone, stating that the exact percentage is less important than keeping the high ground at each portion of the Strip, the Post has learned. For example, the Post understands that the area around Shejaia requires the IDF to be deep into Gaza to maintain a useful buffer zone, whereas in Rafah, the military could control much less territory than it does now and still have an excellent vantage point to foresee and prevent any Hamas attempt to push into Israel. In northern Gaza, there are ridges and hills from Netiv Haasara on the Israeli side which straddle parts of Beit Hanoun and other areas, which need to remain under Israeli control, but whether the total percentage of Israeli-controlled territory is 70%, 53%, around 30% or closer to 15% is less important than these on-the-ground realities. If Hamas makes partial concessions, many Israeli defense officials are willing to make partial withdrawals, provided the high ground is maintained in a Gaza buffer zone. These officials would insist on keeping such a zone for many years into the future because they do not believe that Gazan society is likely to change its hostile attitude toward Israel even if Hamas does some partial disarming and the PA or NCAG gain new political powers. Israeli officials are skeptical of Lebanese army's ability to counter Hezbollah Likewise, a majority of Israeli defense officials do not believe that the IDF needs to control the 10 kilometers or more of Lebanese territory it currently holds, but this is not because they have any faith in the Lebanese military versus Hezbollah. Rather, even those Israeli defense officials who are quicker to endorse partial withdrawals from Lebanon to a smaller security zone have little faith that the Lebanese army taking control of “pilot” areas is anything more than a public relations effort, the Post has learned. There is a spirited disagreement, the Post understands, about whether the daring new diplomatic engagement by the Lebanese government with Israel can have any real strategic impact on the threat that Hezbollah poses to Israel. Some believe that with the Lebanese government’s public backing, Israel can reduce the Hezbollah threat, while some believe that the government is mostly irrelevant, noting that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had been ready to meet with Netanyahu, then canceled out of fear of assassination. 'War between wars' remains part of Israel's defense strategy Another broad area of consensus is for Israel to maintain a “war between wars” on all fronts, regularly performing attacks when necessary, which will prevent all enemies bordering Israel from increasing their strategic capacity to threaten Israel, the Post understands. There is a debate within the defense establishment about how far to go with such attacks, and whether to dial back such attacks during periods when the US believes it is making diplomatic progress. Some defense officials worry more that pausing the war between wars could make it harder to restart it when necessary, while some are more worried about losing American support when support for Israel globally has hit historic lows. Defense establishment resists major Syria withdrawal Regarding Syria, almost no one in the Israeli defense establishment wants to withdraw much from Syria, despite a recent push by Washington on the issue, the Post has noted. Despite zero attacks by Syria on Israel since Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa took power in December 2024, Israeli defense officials see how he has treated and massacred some of his own Syrian minority groups and believe he remains a product of al-Qaeda. They mostly believe that his reluctance to attack Israel is an extended tactical delay because he has not yet fully taken control over his own existing territory. Many of them regard Syria as a serious potential future danger since there is no formal mechanism for preventing the new Syrian army from growing its heavy weapons, including tanks and fighter jets. Recent reports have suggested that Turkey will help Syria rebuild much of what Israel bombed in December 2024 when the Assad regime fell. Defense officials reassess Israel's strategic position on Iran Moving on to Iran, a majority of Israeli defense officials believe Israel’s strategic position was better off after the June 2025 operation than it is now after the early 2026 operation, the Post has learned. While initially current IDF officials talked about high achievements in destroying Iran’s military capacities in terms of missiles, drones, and rebuilding its threat capacities, many are aghast that Tehran now has the US deterred due to the Straits of Hormuz crisis. Further, they are worried about America preventing Israel from attacking Iran in the future if needed, whereas there was no such question after June 2025, since Washington was less involved. Also, following the early 2026 operation, the Islamic Republic succeeded in reestablishing a connection between the Iranian and Hezbollah fronts, which Jerusalem had succeeded in cutting off in June 2025. In addition, Iran has now had months to recover from the attacks, and Israeli defense officials are critical of US President Donald Trump for failing to attack sufficiently to maintain pressure on Tehran. Israeli defense officials split over future Iran nuclear deal Besides those consensus issues, there is a split about any future deal with Iran. Some Israeli defense officials insist that there be no deal unless Iran gives up uranium enrichment for an extended period of years. Others believe that Trump has made it clear that he will not enforce this position, and believe that Jerusalem must be more realistic, pushing for some least bad scenarios compared to worse ones. For example, some Israeli defense officials would support a deal with Iran, given that Trump seems very committed to such a deal, which allowed a significant volume of centrifuges as long as the amount of enriched uranium was close to zero. Alternatively, they could live with a small amount of enriched uranium at low levels if there were close to zero centrifuges. The key would be that Iran would not be able to have significant amounts of centrifuges and enriched uranium at the same time, because one without the other makes a nuclear bomb impossible in the short and medium term. They would also insist, the Post has learned, on much tougher nuclear inspections than under the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, such as anytime, anywhere inspections, as well as a ban on nuclear metallurgy weapons group activities. None of this would eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat, but it would push back the threat farther than the JCPOA did and farther than the current situation. Most Israeli defense officials are currently scratching their heads about how to prevent Iran from manufacturing a large new volume of ballistic missiles, since this is not even on Trump’s radar, but they at least believe the 2025 and 2026 operations bought Israel some time on this issue.

“We will not withdraw under any circumstances.”.. Khatz reveals the fate of Israeli forces in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Katz (Gantz) confirmed on Wednesday the continued Israeli military presence in the areas under Israeli control in southern Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip, declaring that Israeli forces will not withdraw from these areas under any circumstances, during a visit to southern Lebanon. According to a statement from his office, Katz said, “As I and the Prime Minister have clearly stated, we will not withdraw from this security zone,” adding: “The army is here to protect settlements in northern Israel, and its forces—we will work to clear this area. We will not withdraw from the security zones under any circumstances… not in Lebanon, not in Syria, not in Gaza.” Israeli occupation army troops are deployed inside a strip of Lebanese territory extending about 10 kilometers along the border, where they continue to carry out strikes and military operations. Katz said the army is working to “destroy underground infrastructure” in the area, in addition to “destroying all homes.” Katz’s statements come after a framework agreement Lebanon and Israel reached on June 26, following five rounds of U.S.-brokered negotiations, which specifically call for Hezbollah’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territories it occupies in southern Lebanon, with Lebanese army deployment starting from “experimental areas.” Hezbollah absolutely rejects direct negotiations with Israel and the relinquishment of its weapons, while the United States announced on Tuesday its sponsorship of a new round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in early September in Rome, expressing its “satisfaction with the way things are developing.” Continuing operations in southern Lebanon The war in the Middle East had spread to Lebanon on March 2, after Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel in response to the killing of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the American-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. This was followed by an agreement to a ceasefire and direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, but Israeli forces still control areas in southern Lebanon that they had controlled during the last war. Israel continues to launch occasional airstrikes and conduct demolitions of what it says are Hezbollah facilities. Israel’s stance on the Gaza Strip In the Gaza Strip, since October 2025 a ceasefire deal has been in effect but with violations, while Israeli forces control more than 60% of the territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously rejected last week the plan put forward by the United States on Gaza, which Hamas had approved.

Wires - Al-Nakhba Al-Akhbariyya (Success News) - The Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Katz confirmed on Wednesday that Israeli forces will not withdraw from the areas they currently control in southern Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip. Katz described these lands as vital 'security zones,' stressing that the military presence there will continue under any circumstances to ensure Israel's security. Katz’s remarks came during a field tour of areas the Israeli army occupies in southern Lebanon, where he pointed out that current control extends in some points up to a depth of 10 kilometers. He clarified that military operations continue to destroy what he described as Hezbollah facilities and to completely secure the northern border. Katz noted that the army carried out a broad 'military maneuver' that included taking control of strategic sites such as the Qal’at al-Shqif (Shouf) fortress and the Litani River road. He considered that stationing in these sites gives Israeli forces a high ability to threaten Hezbollah’s movements and prevent any attempts to approach the border. Katz defined the geographic scope of what he called the 'security area' in Lebanon, explaining that it stretches from the Mediterranean coast to the west to the entrances of Mount Hermon to the east. He stressed that the aim of this presence is to provide protection for the towns of northern Israel and to secure the troops deployed in the field against any potential attacks. The Israeli minister emphasized that his government will not retreat from its stance to remain in these areas, saying the decision is sectoral and clear in coordination with the Prime Minister. He added that the army is currently carrying out a comprehensive destruction of underground infrastructure and homes in those areas to ensure they are not used in the future. Katz justified this military orientation by relying on what he described as the 'lessons learned' from the October 7 events, considering that protecting settlers requires a physical presence of the army. The occupation believes that the buffer zones are the only means to prevent infiltrations or direct fire towards Israeli targets. We will not withdraw under any circumstances, neither in Lebanon, nor in Syria, nor in Gaza, from the security zones we control. Regarding the Syrian front, Katz explained that the 'security zones' include sites the army seized after the Syrian regime collapsed in December 2024. These areas include the buffer zone outlined in the 1974 agreement, in addition to strategic hills in the Quneitra and Daraa countryside. As for the Gaza Strip, information indicates that the occupation currently controls more than 60% of the territory through the creation of buffer zones and security corridors. Estimates of the areas the army seeks to retain range between 50% and 70% of the total area of Gaza, despite a ceasefire agreement.

An official at the U.S. State Department said that the United States expects Israel to act in line with the framework agreed upon with Lebanon, in response to remarks by Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who asserted that his forces would not withdraw from areas they controlled in Lebanon and Syria. The American official told Al-Sharq that Israel had made it clear that it does not seek any gains or regional objectives in Lebanon, arguing that a permanent military presence in southern Lebanon does not align with the commitments under the framework or with the long-term peace and security requirements of both countries. He stressed that the United States fully supports Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that the framework clearly includes a conditional path based on a gradual redeployment of forces linked to Hizballah’s disarmament and its verification, and the dismantling of its infrastructure. The Lebanese Armed Forces are currently carrying out the initial test zones, and the United States will continue supporting full implementation of this process. Since October 2023, Israel has pursued an expansive and more aggressive military doctrine, adopted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which it seized roughly 1,000 square kilometers of land in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. Israeli forces established positions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, and controlled territory equivalent to about 5% of the area of Israel’s border recognized in 1949, according to calculations by the Financial Times. Gantz had said during a visit to a southern Lebanon military site on Wednesday that the Israeli army would not withdraw from what he described as “security zones” in Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip. These statements came despite the framework agreement that Lebanon and Israel signed under U.S. sponsorship, which calls for a gradual withdrawal and continues to face international demands to end the Israeli military presence in the occupied territories. Gantz said, “The Israeli army carried out a military maneuver here, and you see the Litani River road here, and the Israeli army decisively defeated Hizballah with great skill, and it took control of the Bofar (Shaqif Castle), which protects the Litani and northern towns; then our soldiers began to threaten all Hizballah deployment areas in the horizon.” He added, “As I have clearly stated, along with Prime Minister Netanyahu, we will not withdraw from this security area, and I stand here in its heart.” The Lebanon-Israel negotiations face thorny issues regarding withdrawal maps and Hizballah disarmament, amid U.S. efforts to prevent escalation and achieve a permanent ceasefire. Israel’s defense minister said the “security area” extends from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to Shaqif Castle and the entrances to Mount Hermon in the east, claiming that the Israeli army is present to protect northern towns and its forces. He reiterated that Israeli forces will maintain their hold on control sites: “We will not move from here, we will not withdraw, we will secure this area and ensure the safety of northern residents; we will not withdraw under any circumstances, neither in Lebanon, nor in Syria, nor in Gaza, from the security zones.” Israeli forces continued their attacks in south Lebanon, carrying out two large explosions in the town of Haddatha on Tuesday, in addition to a large explosion in the town of Beit Yassoun in the Bint Jbeil district, according to the Lebanese News Agency. Israeli shelling also targeted the town of Kfarman in Nabatieh, while explosions shook Beit Yann and the Qantara. Areas in Hasbayya (far southeast Lebanon) in Nabatieh Governorate experienced intensive overflights by an Israeli reconnaissance plane over the Rashaya region and the western slopes of Mount Hermon from Ain Etta to Deir al-Awla. Israeli forces are seeking to establish what officials in Israel call a “security zone,” aiming to push Hizballah back to make it difficult for it to launch anti-tank missiles at border Israeli towns. Earlier on Wednesday, Lebanon’s president, Michel Aoun, met with General Joseph Cleinfeld, head of Lebanon’s Military Coordination Group, in the presence of the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Dorin M. Assa. The Lebanese presidency said the meeting discussed measures to implement the framework agreement reached as a result of the trilateral talks in Washington, in light of General Cleinfeld’s discussions in Israel last week. Aoun stressed his insistence on negotiating with Israel, saying on Tuesday that these negotiations “are making progress and, in any case, are better than the devastating war results upon us,” noting that “the scale of Israeli assaults on Lebanon has been reduced since the framework agreement draft was signed, which positively affected Lebanese people returning to the homeland for the summer.” He said negotiation is not surrender or concession, but rather a continuation toward achieving our goals of liberating the land through peaceful means, not by the language of war, emphasizing that “there is no disagreement among the Lebanese about the goals: Israeli withdrawal, the return of the prisoners, and the reconstruction of what was destroyed.” Lebanon warns it may refuse to participate in September negotiations unless Israel stops violations, and calls for halting excavations and the demolition of homes and villages, and for discussing withdrawals from the transitional areas. The Lebanese president added: “In the end, we will not allow Israel to remain even on an inch of our land, nor any of its soldiers to remain on it.” Cleinfeld is visiting the region to push for negotiations and set a date for the next round, while meeting with senior Lebanese officials, including Army Commander General Joseph Aoun. Israeli broadcasting authorities had said that Lebanon rejects negotiating soon, protesting the lack of expansion in withdrawal zones, arguing that delaying the scheduling of the next round is due to tensions between the two sides.

Zachros - Erbil Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz reaffirmed his firm intent to keep Israeli forces in the areas occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon as well as in Syria and the Gaza Strip. This came after Katz visited southern Lebanon yesterday (Wednesday), where he said: "As I and the Prime Minister clearly stated... we will not withdraw from this security zone" — according to a statement from his office. He noted that "the army is here to protect the settlements in northern Israel, and its forces". He added, "We will work to clear this area. We will not withdraw from the security zones under any circumstances... not in Lebanon, not in Syria, not in Gaza." Israeli forces continue to deploy and carry out strikes and operations inside a strip of Lebanese territory extending about 10 kilometers along the border. On June 26, Lebanon and Israel reached a framework agreement after five rounds of negotiations under American mediation, which notably calls for Hizbollah to be disarmed and for the Israeli army to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese army deploying starting from "experimental zones." Hizbollah, for its part, completely refuses direct negotiations with Israel and relinquishing its weapons. Washington announced on Tuesday that it would sponsor a new round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in early September in Rome, expressing "satisfaction with the way things are progressing." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected last week the plan proposed by the United States regarding Gaza and Hamas agreed to by Hamas.

Top News Weather: hot to very hot conditions; continuing Israeli incursions in Gaza: one martyr and injuries in the last 24 hours; Fatah leadership in Hebron discusses upcoming elections and strengthening national unity; Palestinian Ministry of Labor: youth are a national wealth and a foundation for boosting the economy's resilience; Jordan and Palestine explore ways to 강화 cooperation and support the Palestinian health sector; Israeli attacks in the West Bank continue: 10 Palestinians detained and dozens of facilities and homes demolished; the most prominent headlines of the Palestinian press; the occupation closes roads east of Jenin in parallel with the opening of the Ramot/Ganim settlement; Ben-Gvir sought to prevent the opening of the maternity ward at the Makassed Hospital amid Emirati pressure; Israeli forces detain dozens of Palestinians during raids across West Bank governorates. Main Israelis * Katz: The Israeli army is present in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza to stay

Beirut: Gulf, agencies Israel expanded its on-the-ground escalation yesterday, Wednesday, in south Lebanon through airstrikes, artillery shelling, explosions, and sweeps with machine guns, along with phosphorous bombardment on the Jabal Ali al-Taher heights, while the Lebanese army accused Israel of continuing its violations of the understandings and international law. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz affirmed that his forces will not withdraw from Lebanon, Syria, or Gaza. Lebanese President Michel Aoun discussed with the head of Lebanon’s Military Coordination Group, American General Joseph Klirvield, the procedures for implementing the framework agreement, amid reports of Lebanese-Israeli consensus to nominate four countries—Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia—to verify the disarmament of Hezbollah. Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned what he called systematic destruction operations by Israel in the south, while the Lebanese parliament passed a general amnesty law for the first time since 1991. The Israeli army carried out massive targeted bombings and demolition operations affecting residential neighborhoods and buildings in the towns of Hadatha, Bat Yahun in Bint Jbeil, Wadi Blatoun, Talin road, Wadi Salouqi, and also in Zibd Al-Sharqiya, in addition to dropping phosphorous bombs on the Jabal Ali al-Taher heights in Nabatieh. The Lebanese Army leadership accused the Israeli army of continuing its aggressions and violations of the existing understandings and international law. Meanwhile, the Lebanese prime minister denounced what he called “systematic clearing and destroying” operations carried out by Israel in southern Lebanon, deeming them a “serious violation” of international law. Najib Mikati stated, in a press release from his office, that “justifying the clearing and destroying operations on the pretext of military facilities cannot serve as a cover to destroy them, displace their residents, and prevent their return.” Separately, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, during a tour of his forces in southern Lebanon yesterday, affirmed that Israeli forces will not withdraw from the areas they occupy in southern Lebanon, as well as in Syria and the Gaza Strip, under any circumstance. In another development, President Aoun discussed with General Klirvield, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Michael A. Odell, and several of Klirvield’s aides, the procedures for implementing the “Framework Agreement” reached in Washington on June 26 of last year, in light of the talks General Klirvield held in Israel last week. General Klirvield also discussed with Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolfe Khakl, developments in the south and the security arrangements related to the framework agreement, and the difficulties faced by the army in carrying out its missions, foremost of which are continued Israeli aggressions and acts of scraping and destruction by the occupation. Meanwhile, Reuters cited sources familiar with the matter as reporting that Lebanon and Israel agreed to nominate Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia as potential contributors to a proposed mechanism that could lead to the deployment of foreign troops in Lebanon to verify the disarmament of Hezbollah. Additionally, the Lebanese parliament on Wednesday approved a general amnesty law—the first of its kind since 1991—which is expected to benefit thousands of prisoners, detainees, and those wanted in succession. The Speaker of the House announced in a statement the approval of a draft law aimed at granting a general amnesty and reducing the duration of some penalties in an exceptional manner. The step primarily aims to relieve overcrowding in prisons where detainees have been held for years without trials.