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🇵🇾 Paraguay /Conflict & Security

Israel releases five Lebanese detainees held by its forces in southern Lebanon

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Israel released five Lebanese citizens detained by its forces in Lebanese territory and transferred them through the International Committee of the Red Cross to Lebanese authorities.
  • The release took place amid U.S.-mediated peace talks focused on an agreement for Israel’s gradual withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
  • Israel said the detainees had no links to terrorist organizations, while its defense minister announced a new military advance in the region.

Israel completed the release of five Lebanese citizens detained by its army in southern Lebanon, handing them to the International Committee of the Red Cross before the organization transferred them to Lebanese authorities.

The Israeli military said one detainee was released on Thursday and the other four during Friday morning. The Red Cross described its role as strictly humanitarian, acting as a neutral intermediary between Israel and Lebanon.

The role of the ICRC in this operation was purely humanitarian, acting as a neutral intermediary between Israel and Lebanon.

· International Committee of the Red CrossThe organization described its role in transferring the five detainees to Lebanese authorities.

“Many families in Lebanon continue to await answers about the fate of their loved ones, who may be detained, dead or missing,” the organization said. It added that it was working with families to clarify what had happened to their relatives.

Many families in Lebanon continue to await answers about the fate of their loved ones, who may be detained, dead or missing.

· International Committee of the Red CrossThe statement highlighted families still seeking information about missing or detained relatives.

The release came as Israel and Lebanon pursue U.S.-mediated peace talks. Negotiators are working to implement a framework agreement signed on June 26 that would allow Israel to withdraw gradually from southern Lebanon and Lebanese forces to take its place. Washington said after the seventh round, held in Rome in early August, that the two sides were “much closer” to a final agreement, although no date has been set for the eighth round.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said the five men had been detained in areas controlled by the Israel Defense Forces since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon in September 2024. After questioning, it said, they were found not to belong to a terrorist organization or participate in terrorist activity, and there was no reason to keep them detained in Israel. Lebanese sources identified one of the detainees as Malik Ghazi, who had been held for nearly a year.

Much closer

· United StatesWashington used the phrase to describe the position of Israel and Lebanon after the seventh round of talks.

The prisoner release coincided with a new Israeli military announcement. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the army had taken an “important step” in consolidating its control over southern Lebanon by capturing the Ali Taher ridge, which overlooks the region. Israel said Hezbollah had maintained an underground command center and weapons depots there.

Important step

· Israel KatzIsrael’s defense minister used the phrase to describe the army’s reported capture of the Ali Taher ridge.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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