Israel releases five Lebanese detainees, Salam thanks US for mediation
Israel has released five Lebanese civilians detained during recent clashes with Hezbollah, following investigations confirming they were not involved in combat.
Key Takeaways
AIIsraeli authorities on Thursday released five Lebanese civilians who had been detained during recent clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, following interrogations that confirmed they were not involved in combat activities.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an official statement that the immediate release of the five detainees was decided after investigations showed they were civilians and not affiliated with any armed group, adding that there was no legal or security justification to continue holding them.
Netanyahu's office explained that the release was linked to ongoing efforts between Israel and Lebanon to locate and repatriate the remains of Jewish community leaders who were kidnapped and killed during Lebanon's civil war in the 1980s.
In Beirut, a Lebanese military source confirmed that the country had received a Lebanese citizen released by Israeli forces through the International Committee of the Red Cross after being detained and transferred inside Israel.
These developments come in response to demands made by Lebanon during negotiations in August for the release of an initial group of Lebanese detainees held since the outbreak of the 2024 war.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that the safe return of any freed Lebanese citizen is an important step in addressing the issue, expressing gratitude to the US administration and Ambassador Michel Issa for their field and diplomatic efforts.
In an official statement, Salam said: "We will continue working until all our prisoners are released, the fate of the missing is revealed, and a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory is achieved."
He added: "No matter how difficult the negotiation process may seem, we will keep mobilizing all necessary efforts to safeguard Lebanon's rights and interests, especially for our people in the south, ensuring their safe and dignified return to their land and villages, and restoring full state sovereignty over its territory."