The ceasefire announced Tuesday is a major step toward ending nearly 14 months of fighting sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

The agreement with Lebanon will maintain Israel's freedom of operation there to act in defence to remove threats posed by Hezbollah and enable displaced residents to return safely to their homes in northern Israel, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer told Reuters.

International pressure is on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, to maintain the peace