JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel has been extended for 23 days.
The deal, monitored by the United States, expired on Sunday.
The White House announced on Sunday that the truce will continue to be in effect until February 18.
It added that the Governments of Lebanon, Israel, and the United States will also begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel.
Meanwhile, top UN officials in Lebanon are calling for compliance with the ceasefire after reports that Israeli forces killed 15 people, including a Lebanese soldier, along the buffer zone with Israel, which Israel was due to withdraw from on Sunday under the agreement.
The timelines envisaged in the November ceasefire agreement 'have not been met', according to a joint statement by UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and head of the UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, and force commander Aroldo Lázaro.
The agreement between Israel and armed group Hezbollah had been reached after more than a year of fighting, stemming from the Israeli war in Gaza.
'As seen tragically this morning, conditions are not yet in place for the safe return of citizens to their villages along the Blue Line,' they said, referring to the buffer zone between Israel and Lebanon.
Israel had warned Lebanese civilians not to return to their homes in the south last weekend, stating it would not withdraw due to alleged violations of ceasefire terms.
By the terms of the November 27 ceasefire agreement, Israel was meant to have fully withdrawn its forces from the area by Sunday.
However, the UN officials said much has changed in Lebanon since the cessation of hostilities understanding came into force.
Violence has dramatically decreased, and hundreds of thousands of people have been able to return to their towns and villages in many areas of southern Lebanon.
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