Israel released Lebanese detainee Malek Ghazi on Thursday in a handover facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Lebanese city of Tyre. Ghazi is the first of five Lebanese civilians that Israel has agreed to release. The Israeli Prime Minister's office said in a statement that after Ghazi's interrogation was completed, "it became clear that they are civilians who are not members of any terrorist organization, have not engaged in terrorism, and there is no reason to continue holding them in Israel."
The release came as a result of US-led mediation between the two governments, according to the US State Department, which said the process was finalized during a recent trip to Israel by the US ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa. Lebanese officials told AFP that the four remaining prisoners are expected to be released on Friday. The US State Department said it commended both governments for demonstrating good faith and hoped the releases would "serve as the basis for expanded discussions on other civilian issues."
As part of the arrangement, Lebanon has been assisting in the search for remains of Lebanese Jewish leaders, whom Israel says were "abducted and murdered by terrorist organizations" during the Lebanese civil war in the 1980s. A Lebanese official told the Associated Press that Lebanese authorities were "actively searching for the bodies." The Israeli Prime Minister's office described these operations as "significant activity."
Dozens of Lebanese prisoners are believed to be held in Israeli detention centers, according to a list of more than 30 people compiled by prisoners' families, which includes Hezbollah militants as well as civilians and at least one Syrian national. The latest release comes six months after the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia.
In June, Lebanon and Israel signed a US-mediated framework agreement under which Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah's disarmament, but little progress has been made on the broader terms. Israeli forces reportedly detained three more Lebanese citizens in the town of Halta in southern Lebanon on Thursday, Lebanese state media reported, though the Israel Defense Forces did not immediately comment.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said his government would "continue working until all our prisoners are released, the fate of the missing is revealed, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory is achieved," and noted further talks were scheduled for Rome later in September. Hezbollah, which is not part of the talks, has said it will not disarm in areas south of the Litani River, while Israeli officials have said their forces will not withdraw unless the militia is disarmed throughout Lebanon.
