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A fragile 60-day truce between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is expected to be extended, UN and diplomatic sources have told The National. The ceasefire is set to expire on Monday and, while a return to full-scale fighting is unlikely, more time is needed to implement the terms of the deal, they said.
Israel and Hezbollah reached the agreement in late November, after a year-long conflict that escalated into full-scale war last September. The ceasefire stipulates that Israeli troops must withdraw from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah is to remove its fighters and weapons from the area and Lebanese forces will move in. The 60-day timeframe concludes on Monday at 4am local time.
“We expect the ceasefire to be prolonged as the mechanism took some time to get in place, around two to three weeks,” a diplomatic source told The National. “The events that happened in Syria affected the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south.”
Following the downfall of former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad's government in December, the Lebanese army took measures to secure the country's border with Syria. The army announced it had reinforced its controls along the border, particularly in the northern and eastern regions, to prevent security breaches or unauthorised crossings.
In addition to bolstering its troop presence, Lebanon reopened several border crossings, including at Qaa and Masnaa, to manage the flow of people between the two countries.
“Things are moving in the right direction, but this shouldn’t turn into a temporary solution. There must be a permanent resolution,” said the diplomatic source in reference to the ceasefire.
Israel on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the implementation of the deal, saying the terms had not been fulfilled quickly enough. Hezbollah, for its part, urged the international community to put pressure on Israel to ensure its troops adhere to Monday's withdrawal deadline.
“There have been positive movements where the Lebanese army and Unifil have taken the place of Hezbollah forces,” said Israeli government spokesman David Mencer, referring to UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. “We've also made clear that these movements have not been fast enough and there is much more work to do.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Friday released a statement, saying Israeli troops would remain in Lebanon for longer because their withdrawal "is conditional on the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon, and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani [River]".
"Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the state of Lebanon, the phased withdrawal process will continue, in full co-ordination with the United States," it added.
There was no immediate response from Hezbollah or the Lebanese government.
Both sides have accused each other repeatedly of breaching the terms of the ceasefire. A UN source told The National that “Israeli forces are until now continuing their operations in Sector East”.
Hezbollah said in a statement earlier this week that there had been leaks about Israel postponing its withdrawal beyond the 60-day period and that the group considered any breach of the agreement to be unacceptable.
Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah last year dealt significant blows to the group. Israel killed its leader Hassan Nasrallah, as well as thousands of fighters, and destroyed much of its arsenal. The group’s position was further weakened by the toppling of its Syrian ally, Mr Al Assad, which disrupted Hezbollah's supply route from its sponsor, Iran.
The political landscape in Lebanon has also shifted. This month, Lebanon’s parliament elected former army commander Joseph Aoun as president. Hezbollah had long opposed Mr Aoun’s candidacy and viewed him as America’s choice. Mr Aoun’s victory signalled a further decline in the influence of Hezbollah and Iran in Lebanese politics.
Sources indicated that the administration of US President Donald Trump was pushing for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, said Israel had put an end to hostilities and was removing its forces from Lebanon. The Lebanese army has gone to locations of Hezbollah ammunition stores and destroyed them, he added.
But he emphasised the need for more work. “Are we done? No. We will need more time to achieve results,” said Mr Barrot.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Rashid & Rajab
Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib
Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
If you go...
Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.
Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
ABU DHABI CARD
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions; Dh90,000; 2,200m
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7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh125,000; 1,600m
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
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15 years, 271 days old
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16 years, 30 days old
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Calvin Harris
Columbia
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
