All articles tagged with #ceasefire
Israeli forces launched air strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon’s Iqlim al-Tuffah (including Blat and Wadi Barghouti) with no casualties reported in this round; however, civilians and civilian infrastructure have repeatedly been hit in ongoing near-daily attacks, despite a November 2024 ceasefire, as clashes and accusations over disarmament terms continue between Lebanon and Hezbollah.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson calls for sending noncombat ground troops from the UK and its European allies to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire, a major policy shift aimed at showing Western commitment; Britain says it is coordinating with the coalition of the willing for post-conflict deployment, while Western planners have been cautious about escalation and Putin’s stance on peacekeeping.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Western allies to deploy noncombat ground troops to Ukraine to back a ceasefire and demonstrate commitment to a free Ukraine, a move that would mark a major policy shift; Britain’s defense ministry said the coalition is preparing for post-conflict deployment while Western officials have been wary of escalation.
Israeli air strikes in eastern Lebanon killed at least 10 people, including a senior Hezbollah field commander, in the Bekaa Valley, despite a ceasefire. Israel says it targeted Hezbollah command centres embedded in civilians; Hezbollah confirms casualties and says the ceasefire only applies to southern Lebanon. The strikes are among the deadliest since the 2024 ceasefire and maintain high regional tensions amid broader Middle East hostilities.
Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson urged the U.K. and European partners to deploy noncombat troops to Ukraine in peaceful regions to demonstrate support and police a future ceasefire. The idea would represent a major policy shift and would likely follow a ceasefire agreement, with Britain's Defence Ministry saying planning with the coalition of the willing continues for a posthostilities deployment. Putin has previously rejected Western peacekeeping proposals, and Johnson argues Ukraine should remain free from Russian domination.
Members of Donald Trump’s Board of Peace pledged more than $7bn for a Gaza relief package as part of a US-brokered plan to disarm Hamas and rebuild Gaza, with the UN contributing $2bn and several Western allies declining to join; the effort faces questions about the feasibility of a new Palestinian police force and whether Hamas will disarm, while Israel emphasizes demilitarisation before reconstruction.
World leaders gather in Washington for the inaugural Board of Peace meeting chaired by Donald Trump to coordinate Gaza demilitarisation and reconstruction, with 45+ countries attending but key allies like the UK, Germany and France declining and no Palestinian representation (Israel sits on the board). The event follows a UN-backed ceasefire, and about $5bn has been pledged for reconstruction—far short of the roughly $70bn needed. The ceasefire remains fragile amid mutual accusations of violations. In other news, reports of possible US strikes on Iran surface.
Trilateral talks in Geneva among Russia, Ukraine and the US ended without a breakthrough, with partial progress on military issues like front-line positioning and ceasefire monitoring but no agreement on Donbas territory; Moscow maintains its demands, Kyiv resists, and another meeting is planned soon.
Israel’s IDF has stepped up strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as it prepares for a potential war with Iran, aiming to cripple Hezbollah’s infrastructure and its ability to aid Tehran. In the latest week, four Hezbollah militants were killed in southern Lebanon’s Tallouseh, and since February the IDF has killed 12 Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad operatives in the country. The 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah remains in effect but has been violated on multiple occasions, and the IDF has previously said it killed more than 370 Hezbollah fighters since the ceasefire began, with about 1,900 ceasefire infractions noted.
The Syrian Arab Army has taken over the al-Shaddadi military base in Hasakah province after U.S. troops withdrew, a development coordinated with the United States under a ceasefire with the Kurdish-led SDF. The move follows Washington’s broader pullback in Syria, including the earlier seizure of al-Tanf, and signals a shift toward closer coordination with the Damascus government, even as the U.S. continues ISIS-targeted air strikes via CENTCOM and aims to stabilize regional agreements with other communities.
Ahead of the trilateral Ukraine–US–Russia talks in Geneva (Feb 17–18), Zelensky says Ukraine is ready to compromise and could hold elections quickly if a sustained ceasefire and security guarantees are secured, proposing a two‑month ceasefire with guarantees before a peace deal. Russia counters that terms must go beyond Ukraine’s territorial concessions and seeks regime change in Kyiv. The conflict remains costly for Russia with high casualties for limited gains, while Ukraine and SpaceX have disrupted Russian drone campaigns by restricting Starlink access. Despite ongoing fighting across multiple directions (Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson), neither side appears close to a durable settlement, underscoring the gulf between Kyiv’s security assurances and Moscow’s political demands.
Gaza’s Nasser Hospital publicly rebuked Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for suspending noncritical care, saying a civilian police presence protects patients and staff and disputing MSF’s claims of armed men on site; MSF cited security breaches and weapon movements. The wider Gaza conflict remains deadly under a US-brokered ceasefire, with the death toll surpassing 600 and ongoing Israeli strikes and clashes nearby.
Eleven Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza on Sunday, with the IDF saying it hit targets after alleged Hamas ceasefire violations; a strike on a northern tent encampment killed at least six and another in the south killed five. The killings underscore a fragile ceasefire in force since Oct 10, with Gaza health officials reporting about 600 deaths under the accord. The report also notes ongoing US-led diplomacy for a second phase of the ceasefire and related regional talks.
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened after a two-day closure, permitting a limited number of Palestinians to travel for medical evacuations (17 evacuees and 27 companions crossing to Egypt, with the same number expected to return). Crossings remain tightly controlled under a brokered deal, with about 50 people allowed to return to Gaza and 50 medical patients leaving per day, amid ongoing U.S.-backed ceasefire talks and Hamas-Israel negotiations. Reports highlighted delays and screening procedures, while EU-led border oversight and continued discussions on security and disarmament framed the broader context.
The United States has told Ukraine and Russia to clinch a peace deal by June, with expected pressure if talks stall, and plans for another trilateral round in the U.S., possibly Miami. Meanwhile, Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure disrupted power, forcing nuclear plants to reduce output as negotiations remain split on Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and other terms, including a so‑called Dmitriev package; no breakthrough was reached in recent Abu Dhabi talks.