Israel released five Lebanese civilians held in southern Lebanon after efforts by both countries to locate the remains of Lebanese Jewish community leaders killed in the mid-1980s.
Netanyahu's office announced Thursday that Israel decided to release five captive Lebanese civilians following what it described as significant efforts to locate and repatriate the remains of leaders of Lebanon's Jewish community who were abducted and killed by armed groups in the mid-1980s.
The statement said that in recent months, both Lebanon and Israel carried out numerous operations on the ground to locate the remains. One of the five captives was handed over to the Lebanese Army through the International Committee of the Red Cross, with the other four expected to be released within two hours.
Netanyahu's office said that after investigation was completed, the detainees were determined to be civilians who did not belong to any armed organization and had not engaged in militant activity. The office stated there was no justification for continuing to hold them.
Netanyahu has followed this issue for decades, his office said, dating back to his tenure as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. The development follows a visit to Israel by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.
