Biden hails 'historic' ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah

Netanyahu cabinet backs peace agreement despite opposition from far right

- Bethan McKernan Jerusalem Andrew Roth Washington

Joe Biden has announced a highly anticipated ceasefire deal to end the fighting between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah in what he called a "historic" deal to end the 14-month-old war.

Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had endorsed an imminent ceasefire in the country's war with Hezbollah as his full cabinet approved the deal last night despite opposition from his far-right allies.

In televised remarks after the Israeli security cabinet met to vote on the proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, Netanyahu said he was ready to implement the deal, but added that Israel would retain "complete military freedom of action" in the event of a Hezbollah infringement.

"We will enforce the agreement and respond forcefully to any violation. Together, we will continue until victory," Netanyahu said.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, who also helped broker the ceasefire, was also expected to speak last night.

"Under the deal reached today, effective at 4am tomorrow, local time, the fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end," Biden said in remarks from the White House Rose Garden, repeating the two words: "will end".

"This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities. What is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organisations will not be allowed, I emphasise, will not be allowed to threaten the security of Israel again," he said.

Biden also said that US troops would not be committed to the border between Israel and Lebanon, but that "we, along with France and others, will provide the necessary assistance to make sure this deal is implemented fully and effectively."