Israel frees 5 Lebanese prisoners in bid to advance talks with Beirut

Israel will release five Lebanese prisoners on Thursday and return them to Lebanon as a diplomatic gesture to the government in Beirut amid ongoing negotiations between the two countries, an Israeli official confirmed. The confirmation came after reports in Arab media about the planned release. “This is an Israeli gesture to the Lebanese government,” the official said. According to the official, the issue was discussed this week during a meeting in Jerusalem between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Arab media identified one of the prisoners as Kamel Ghazi. A Saudi report said he was expected to be transferred back to Lebanon through the Naqoura crossing in the southwest of the country as a “goodwill gesture.” Lebanese media reported in October 2025 that Ghazi, then about 20, had disappeared in the Ain Ata area north of Mount Hermon. According to those reports, he had gone out for a training session near the town and contact with him was subsequently lost. His motorcycle was later found, but he was not. Netanyahu met the two U.S. ambassadors earlier this week as part of discussions over the negotiations with Lebanon. The prisoner release comes despite Israeli dissatisfaction with a pilot arrangement currently underway in southern Lebanon. The IDF has argued that the Lebanese army is not making sufficient progress in clearing Hezbollah infrastructure from villages included in the pilot area.