Lebanese President Joseph Aoun vows no land will be ceded to Israel

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on 2 July that Lebanon will not give up any territory to Israel, stressing that the talks – conducted under a U.S.‑backed framework signed on 26 June – are not treason but a diplomatic effort. The agreement stipulates that the Lebanese army will restore state authority in the south once Hezbollah disarms and that Israeli forces will withdraw from the “security zones” they have created in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip, though no timetable was set. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated the Israeli army will remain in those zones indefinitely. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began on 2 March, has caused more than 4,200 deaths in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops will stay in the occupied southern Lebanese area as long as the Hezbollah threat persists.