Red Cross Confirms Transfer of 5 Lebanese Detainees from Israel to Lebanon

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced on Friday that it facilitated the transfer of five individuals from Israel to Lebanon, with one transferred on Thursday and the remaining four on Friday. This action followed reports that Israel would release five Lebanese detainees as a gesture of goodwill.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun thanked the United States, President Donald Trump, and international bodies, particularly the ICRC, for their role in the release. He described the transfer as a "first step" that reaffirms the strength of the Lebanese position and the need to complete necessary steps for full Lebanese sovereignty, free from foreign presence and with all Lebanese citizens accounted for. Aoun reiterated Lebanon's commitment to achieving its national goals for all Lebanese to live with dignity in a free homeland, under the sole authority of its legitimate forces.

Sources had previously indicated to the Saudi channel Al-Hadath that Israel handed over detainee Malek Kamal Ghazi to Lebanon via the Naqoura crossing as part of a group of prisoners. Hours later, the Prime Minister's Office stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered efforts to locate and return the bodies of Jewish community leaders in Lebanon who were abducted and murdered in the mid-1980s. The Prime Minister's Office explained that the release of five Lebanese civilians, arrested in southern Lebanon, was a result of investigations confirming they were not linked to any terrorist organization and had no reason to be held in Israel.

A Lebanese political source told MTV that the release of detainees provides an "encouragement" for direct negotiations, noting that Ghazi's release was initially expected on Thursday but was postponed for logistical reasons. An American official addressed the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, stating to the Lebanese newspaper Al-Nidaa Al-Watan that there were no delays regarding meetings in Rome. The official dismissed numerous "fake news" reports aimed at creating a negative atmosphere, emphasizing that both sides are engaged in constructive dialogue and anticipating the next round of talks in Rome later this month as planned.