Occupation forces began withdrawing from Lebanese territories on Tuesday, but remained in five border points in the south.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met Qatar’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, along with other envoys of the Quintet Committee at the Baabda Presidential Palace, more than a month since his election following a two-year power vacuum.

“During the meeting, they discussed the latest developments in Lebanon, particularly the Israeli withdrawal from the south, and reaffirmed the continuous support of the Quint Committee and their full commitment to standing by the Lebanese state,” Qatar’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.

A separate meeting took place on the same day between the Committee and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Grand Serail, where they discussed “the latest political and security developments in Lebanon”.

The five-member group, first convened in Paris in 2023, comprises of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United States, and France with the aim of resolving Lebanon’s political impasse. 

The group’s establishment also came months after former leader Michel Aoun left office in 2022, leaving the presidency seat vacant for more than two years.

Joseph Aoun, a former army commander, was elected as Lebanon’s president by the country’s parliament on January 9 after securing 99 votes out of 128 seats. His election followed the appointment of Salam, the former chief of the International Court of Justice, as the prime minister.

The new administration came to office at a critical time for Lebanon, which has witnessed a brutal Israeli aggression since October 8, 2023, triggered by the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel were first limited to southern Lebanon before rapidly expanding to the capital, Beirut, last year, killing more than 4,000 people while displacing more than a million of the population.

A fragile ceasefire came into effect last November, but only witnessed repeated violations by Israeli forces as they persisted in their attacks on the south. 

The deal also set late January as the initial deadline for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanon, before it was extended until Tuesday.

Occupation forces began withdrawing from Lebanese territories on the deadline, but remained in five border points in the south. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed that the occupation forces’ presence in the areas was “necessary” for Israel’s “security”.

“Once Lebanon fully implements its side of the deal, there will be no need to hold these points,” he claimed at a press conference in Jerusalem, echoing Israel’s repeated attempts at justifying its violations of the ceasefire deal with the United States’ support.

On the same day, President Aoun, Salam, and Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s failure to uphold its commitments to the deal.

The officials have also announced their appeal to the United Nations Security Council to enforce Resolution 1701 by ensuring Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese territories.