Israel released one Lebanese civilian detainee on Thursday in a handover mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The released prisoner is identified as Malek Ghazi, whose transfer marks the first such exchange since the latest phase of hostilities began six months ago.

Ghazi was handed over to the Lebanese army via the International Committee of the Red Cross at the border crossing in the southern Lebanese coastal town of Naqoura. Following the transfer, he was moved to a Lebanese army intelligence office in the southern port city of Tyre for processing and identification verification.

Netanyahu added that after being interrogated, the five detainees were found not to be members of a terrorist organisation or involved in terrorism. An Israeli source stated the detainees are civilians arrested in recent months and are not members or affiliated with Hezbollah. The Israeli government stated that Malek Ghazi was not a member of a terrorist organization and had no involvement in terrorism after interrogation.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam thanked the American administration for its efforts regarding the release. He pledged to continue working until the release of all prisoners, the disclosure of the fate of the missing, and the achievement of a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Ghazi hails from the southeastern town of Ain Ata near the southern border village of Shebaa. His family said last October that they had lost contact with him after he went out to exercise. A report from Arab News indicated that Malek Ghazi was detained in October 2025 while exercising near Mount Hermon.

A list of more than 30 people held by Israel has been compiled by their families and a committee following up on their cases. Lebanon compiled a list of over 30 individuals held by Israel, including civilians and sea captains, following up on their cases through families and a dedicated committee. This roster includes civilian sea captain Imad Fadel Amhaz, who was abducted during an Israeli commando operation in October 2024.

Lebanon demanded the release of detainees held by Israel since the 2024 war during negotiations in August. These discussions occurred within a broader diplomatic framework, as US-brokered negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv began in April. Another round of talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials is expected to take place in Rome later this month.

On the same day as the handover, Israeli forces advanced into Halta village in southeastern Lebanon. Israeli drones flew over the Tyre region at dawn on Thursday, while Israeli forces carried out detonations in the towns of Haddatha and Baraachit in Nabatieh governorate. Israeli forces demolished homes in the coastal southern town of al-Mansouri, where smoke rose as the structures were destroyed.

Timeline

Clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah began after Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023. Hostilities escalated into a full-blown war in 2024. Malek Ghazi’s family said last October that they had lost contact with him after he went out to exercise.

US-brokered negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv began in April. Lebanon and Israel signed a framework deal in June under which Israeli forces were to withdraw from areas they are occupying in southern Lebanon in exchange for disarmament of Hezbollah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel agreed to release the Lebanese civilians after Beirut helped search for the bodies of Lebanese Jewish leaders who were abducted and murdered by terrorist organisations in the 1980s.

What's New

The release of Malek Ghazi occurred in an ongoing U.S.-brokered negotiation process between Lebanon and Israel, which included the seventh round of talks held in Rome in August 2026. The official record states that Malek Ghazi was released by Israel on September 3, 2026, and was handed over to the Lebanese army via the Red Cross. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of continuing to violate the framework agreement reached through Lebanese-US-Israeli negotiations in Washington, including ongoing strikes and destruction of southern villages.

Lebanon’s list of detained individuals includes civilian sea captain Imad Fadel Amhaz, who was abducted during an Israeli commando operation in October 2024. In March 2025, Israel released five Lebanese detainees as a goodwill gesture to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun during ongoing diplomatic efforts. The Lebanese Jewish community has been involved in multiple historical cases of abduction and murder during Lebanon's civil war, with several leaders kidnapped by Shiite groups in the mid-1980s.

Why It Matters

This event represents the first prisoner handover since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war six months ago. More than 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon due to Israeli air strikes and ground invasion, establishing a high-stakes backdrop for any diplomatic progress. The release occurs within a framework where Lebanon and Israel signed a deal in June requiring Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah disarmament, yet violations of this agreement remain a point of contention between the two governments.