Hezbollah rejects ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel

Hezbollah rejects the latest ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese government, and the militant group demands a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as more fighting there hampers efforts to end the Iran war.

The Hezbollah announcement comes as Israeli strikes killed at least four people and a UN peacekeeper caught in the crossfire. An Israeli soldier was also killed in combat in southern Lebanon.

Israeli government spokeswoman said Thursday that agreement between Israel and Lebanon is unprecedented.

SHOSH BEDROSIAN, Israeli government spokesperson said, "This week, the 4th high-level trilateral meetings between Israel, Lebanon and the United States took place, achieving something unprecedented. For the first time, all three parties are aligned in their determination to keep Iran's terror proxy Hezbollah out of the equation. Negotiations are actively ongoing with the goal of advancing a durable ceasefire and creating the conditions for greater stability and security for both of our nations."

In the Lebanese town of Sidon, people were skeptic about the latest ceasefire renewal pointing out previous agreements had failed to stop the violence.

Sidon resident Salah Nassab said, "We're tired of hearing about a ceasefire agreement being reached and then not to have it be implemented. It's all talk no action."

And Khaled Safawai, another Sidon resident said, "We've had many announcements before this one, and not one of them had the interest of the people of the south or the Lebanese people."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several ministers met with heads of local councils in northern Israel Thursday, promising they are committed to the security and flourishing of the north.

This as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killing of a UN peacekeeper in southern Lebanon when a mortar struck a UN position near Marjayoun in southern Lebanon. He urged all parties to respect the cessation of hostilities agreement.