First publication: Israel to release 5 Lebanese prisoners today
Israel is expected to release five Lebanese nationals held in its custody today, in coordination with the USA, as a gesture within the framework of negotiations with Beirut. The issue of the detainees was raised during the latest round of talks in Rome.
Israel, in coordination with the USA, is expected to release 5 prisoners to Lebanon today, Thursday. This is our first report on the matter. The move serves as an Israeli gesture within the framework of ongoing negotiations between the two countries.
During the seventh round of talks, held in Rome in August 2026 with American mediation, the issue of the detainees was an official topic of discussion. The parties exchanged preliminary lists of detainees and missing persons. According to Lebanese sources, Lebanon demanded that the first phase include the release of a group of civilian detainees. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated on August 7, 2026, that positive progress had been achieved regarding the prisoners, although a final agreement on further releases had not yet been published at that time.
It should be recalled that in March 2025, Israel released 5 Lebanese nationals held in its custody and transferred them to Lebanon. The Prime Minister's Office defined that release as a gesture toward the President of Lebanon, coordinated with the USA and conducted in parallel with progress in talks regarding border issues. Four individuals were transferred on March 11, and the fifth, a soldier in the Lebanese army, was transferred subsequently.
