Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
· collected 2026-09-04 · by Al Jazeera Staff
Israel has released four more Lebanese prisoners through a Red Cross-mediated handover, following a pledge by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. The prisoners, who were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), include Hussein Ayash from Harouf and Mohammed Juheir, a fisherman from Naqoura. This is in addition to one prisoner released on Thursday, bringing the total number of freed Lebanese citizens to five. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun has thanked the US for its efforts in brokering talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Israel has released five Lebanese detainees, including four who were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as part of negotiations with Lebanon to recover the remains of Jewish community leaders kidnapped in the 1980s. These detainees had been held without charge for various periods, including Malek Kamal Ghazi, who was released on September 2 and confirmed by Lebanese authorities not to be a member of Hezbollah. The release is part of a framework agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon in June, mediated by the US, which aims to resolve outstanding issues such as detention and missing persons. 35 Lebanese detainees remain in Israel, including 20 civilians, according to sources cited by Reuters. The releases are seen as a positive step towards improving relations between the two countries, which have been strained due to ongoing conflicts and invasions.
Written for “Israel Releases Lebanese Detainees” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 3814 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-04
Four Lebanese citizens who were held in Israel have been released and handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the day after a first prisoner was freed.
asserted
prisoner → hold → Cross
In a statement on Friday, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun thanked the United States after the Red Cross facilitated the transfer.
asserted
Cross → thank → transfer
The US has been brokering talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv aimed at ending hostilities between the neighbouring countries.
asserted
US → broker → countries
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prisoners → kill → civilian
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Vance → decline → war
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Aoun expressed his gratitude “for all the efforts exerted, particularly by the US under the leadership of President Donald Trump and by international bodies, especially the ICRC”.
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Aoun → express → bodies
The ICRC confirmed that “at the request of the relevant parties, [it] facilitated the transfer to Lebanon of five individuals released from Israeli detention”.
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it → confirm → detention
Associated Press and Anadolu news agency reporters said they saw a convoy of ICRC vehicles heading towards the Naqoura border crossing on Friday morning and later returning.
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convoy → say → morning
The convoy then entered a Lebanese army barracks in Tyre.
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convoy → enter → Tyre
The release follows a pledge by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that authorities would free five Lebanese prisoners.
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authorities → follow → prisoners
The prisoner released on Thursday was identified as Malek Ghazi.
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prisoner → release → Ghazi
Other released prisoners include Hussein Ayash from the village of Harouf and Mohammed Juheir, a fisherman from the border town of Naqoura, AP reported.
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AP → release → Naqoura
Dozens of Lebanese citizens are believed to be held in Israeli detention centres, including civilians as well as Hezbollah members captured during fighting in southern Lebanon.
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Dozens → believe → Lebanon
The ICRC called for its teams to be granted access to the remaining prisoners unjustly held by Israel, noting that it has not had access to detainees held in Israel since October 2023.
“Many families in Lebanon are still waiting for answers about the fate of loved ones who may be detained, deceased or otherwise unaccounted for,” it said.
uncertain
it → call → ones
Clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah began after Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.
asserted
Israel → begin → October
That led to over a year of hostilities that escalated into a full-blown war in 2024.
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that → lead → 2024
Two years later, Lebanon was fully drawn into the conflict when the US and Israel launched a war on Iran.
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US → draw → Iran
Hezbollah, a key ally of Iran, fired rockets into Israel in retaliation for the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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Hezbollah → fire → Khamenei
Israel responded with air strikes and a ground invasion that have killed at least 4,300 people in Lebanon.
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that → respond → Lebanon
Lebanon began direct talks with Israel in April.
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Lebanon → begin → April
Aoun’s government has vowed to fulfil the terms of the US-brokered framework agreement.
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government → vow → agreement
He said it would pave the way for “the full restoration of Lebanese sovereignty, without giving up an inch of our land or a single one of our people”.
asserted
it → say → people
