Wassim Seif El Din and Ahmed Asmar
13 March 2025•Update: 13 March 2025
BEIRUT
The Lebanese army said that it received on Thursday a soldier who had been detained by Israel.
The army said the soldier was transferred to Lebanon by the Red Cross and was taken to a hospital.
According to a military statement, the soldier was kidnapped by the Israeli army on March 9, without giving details about the circumstances of his capture.
The local Lebanese channel LBC said the soldier was injured by Israeli fire during his abduction in the border town of Kfrashouba.
On Tuesday, the Israeli army released four Lebanese held by Tel Aviv.
Lebanon said the release was the result of negotiations via the ceasefire oversight committee, which includes representatives from the US, France, Lebanon, Israel, and the UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, claimed that the release was “a goodwill gesture” toward Lebanon’s newly elected President Joseph Aoun.
There is no information available regarding the total number of Lebanese prisoners currently held by Israel.
Lebanon continues to demand Israeli withdrawal from five disputed Lebanese outposts and the release of Lebanese prisoners who were taken during the recent conflict.
A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Lebanon since November 2024, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah that escalated into a full-scale conflict last September.
Lebanese authorities reported nearly 1,100 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including the deaths of at least 85 people and injuries to more than 280 others.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.
