Israel to Free 5 Lebanese Detainees in Return for Jewish Remains Search
Israel said the detainees were cleared of terrorism links after interrogations, and Lebanon thanked Washington for helping advance the broader talks.
- On Thursday, Israel decided to release five Lebanese detainees captured during the war in southern Lebanon in exchange for Beirut's assistance in locating the remains of Lebanese Jewish community figures killed in the 1980s.
- US-Mediated negotiations between Israel and Lebanon have intensified in recent months, with both sides 'undertaking searches and other measures, including operations on the ground' to locate missing remains.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the releases were approved after 'it became clear' the five men were not members 'of a terror organization, were not involved in terrorism and there is no reason to continue holding them in Israel.'
- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called the release 'an important step' and thanked Washington and Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa for facilitating the process toward resolving prisoner issues.
- The release serves as a confidence-building measure amid broader efforts to reduce border tensions, though the status of an estimated 36 Lebanese detainees held by Israel remains unconfirmed.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Israel frees five Lebanese citizens after Beirut helped search for the remains of a Lebanese Jewish figure killed in the 1980s.
Israel frees Lebanese detainee, pledges five more
Israel announced the release of five Lebanese civilians held in areas of southern Lebanon as part of ongoing US-brokered negotiations, tied to efforts to locate and repatriate the remains of Jewish community leaders abducted and killed in the mid-1980s. Lebanon confirmed the return of a detainee via the ICRC and pledged to continue pursuing further releases, with the ICRC noting a humanitarian operation and both sides citing ongoing talks and gr…
Israel decided on Thursday, September 3, 2026, to release five Lebanese and Syrian prisoners captured in Lebanon during the 2023-2024 conflict and the current war. According to a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, these releases are linked to negotiations concerning the recovery of the remains of several leaders of the Lebanese Jewish community killed in the 1980s.
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