Israel extends ceasefire, strikes continue

Israel and Lebanon extended their ceasefire agreement on May 16, 2026, pushing the truce from 60 days to 120 days, according to a joint statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and Lebanese officials. Hours after the extension, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes in southern Lebanon near the villages of Aita al-Shaab and Kfarkela, targeting what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described as Hezbollah infrastructure, the IDF said in a statement. No immediate casualties were reported from those strikes, but the IDF stated they were "pre-emptive" to prevent Hezbollah violations. The ceasefire, first agreed on March 28, requires Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River—about 30 km (19 miles) from the Israeli border—and Israeli forces to pull back from most positions inside Lebanon, with a UN buffer zone expanded in between. Over 60,000 Lebanese have returned to southern villages since the truce began, per UN estimates. Separately, in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike on May 16 killed Hamas commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad, his wife, and two children in Khan Younis, the IDF confirmed, saying he coordinated "terrorist activities". The strike hit a multi-story building, with Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry reporting four total deaths. Israel has widened its buffer zone in Khan Younis to 1.5 km from previous lines, displacing more residents, according to UNRWA updates. Gaza ceasefire talks, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, continued into a third day in Doha on May 17, despite the strike. Qatari mediator Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the killing of al-Haddad "complicates" negotiations but did not halt them, warning of "serious fallout" if strikes persist. Hamas official Basem Naim called the strike a "violation" of truce spirit, demanding international guarantees. US envoy Steve Witkoff, leading indirect talks with Hamas, told reporters on May 17 that "progress remains possible" if Israel avoids further escalations during negotiations. Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, said strikes targeted "imminent threats" and would not derail the process. The Lebanon extension includes monitoring by UNIFIL peacekeepers, who reported 12 Israeli violations—mostly drone flights—on May 16 alone. Hezbollah has fired three rockets into Israel since the original ceasefire, per IDF tallies. In Gaza, over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since a November 2025 truce collapsed, with 45 deaths reported in the past 24 hours as of May 17, Gaza health authorities said. Talks in Doha aim for a 60-day pause, hostage releases, and aid surges, per Egyptian sources. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun hailed the extension as a "step toward stability" in a televised address, while Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's office emphasized "security first". UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged "restraint" from both sides via a post on X. Doha talks are scheduled to resume May 18, with Hamas demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as a precondition. In Lebanon, the next compliance review under the ceasefire occurs June 15.