Lebanon receives first detainee of five to be freed by Israel
Lebanon said its army had so far received a man returned by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the first since Beirut called in August talks for the release of an initial group seized since the start of a 2024 Israel-Hezbollah war.
- Why it matters
- Lebanon negotiated for prisoner releases as part of ceasefire talks following the Israel-Hezbollah conflict; this first handover signals whether those terms are being implemented.
- Most affected
- Lebanese detainees held by Israel — First of five agreed detainees returned to Lebanon via Red Cross.
Lebanese families of detained combatants — Initial release underway after months of negotiation and conflict. - Likely next
- Whether the remaining four detainees agreed in talks are released on the stated timeline.