An Israeli official said on Sunday that the return of normal civilian life in northern Israel along the border with Lebanon is the way ‘to truly defeat Hezbollah.’ 

‘In order to truly defeat Hezbollah—because militarily, we have already won, and our victory is very clear—to truly win, to achieve long-term victory, is to have many residents living here (northern Israel), vast tourism, to reopen the restaurants and cafes that used to be here, to have people coming to cycle, agriculture flourishing—everything thriving,’ Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, said while visiting southern Lebanon. 

‘This is a long-term victory. And the state must step in and strongly reinforce this responsibility,’ he added. 

Fox News confirmed that Halevi had conducted a situational assessment on Sunday in southern Lebanon with the Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, MG Ori Gordin; the Commanding Officer of the 146th Division, BG Yiftach Norkin; the Commanding Officer of the 300th Brigade, COL Omri Rosenkrantz; and other senior officers. 

A cease-fire deal between Israel and the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon has held for a month as of Friday.

Since the 60-day agreement went into effect on Nov. 27, Israeli forces have been conducting operations in southern Lebanon that they say are meant to dismantle terror tunnels and Hezbollah’s command center.

According to the New York Times, Israeli forces have continued strikes as the cease-fire deal has held, mostly in southern Lebanon but now, as of days ago, also in the eastern Bekaa region. 

Israeli officials say Hezbollah is trying to test Israel by smuggling weapons across the Lebanese-Syrian border crossings. 

Thousands of Israelis have evacuated villages along the Lebanon border after Hezbollah, in allegiance with Hamas terrorists in Gaza, began launching rockets at Israel following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. 

Israeli forces in response have pummeled Lebanon, severely weakening Hezbollah, forcing the group to make concessions. 

President-elect Trump and President Biden reacted to the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Sunday, with Trump saying, ‘we all owe him a debt of gratitude,’ and Biden honoring his ‘dear friend.’

Carter, who was the 39th president of the United States and a peanut farmer whose vision of a ‘competent and compassionate’ government propelled him into the White House, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday at the age of 100.

‘I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.

‘Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers,’ the incoming president added.

Also weighing in was President Biden, who said, ‘the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian.’

‘Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well,’ Biden wrote. ‘With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.’

Biden referred to Carter as a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism.

He also said he and his wife will cherish seeing Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, together, noting that the love between the two is the ‘definition of partnership,’ while their leadership is the definition of ‘patriotism.’

‘We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts,’ Biden said. ‘To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy.

‘And to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility. He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong,’ Biden added.

Vice President Kamala Harris called Carter’s life ‘a testament to the power of service,’ whether it was as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, Governor of Georgia or President of the United States.

‘Throughout his life, President Carter was strengthened by the love and support of his partner of 77 years, First Lady Rosalynn Carter, whose life President Biden and I had the opportunity to celebrate in Georgia last year,’ Harris said. ‘After leaving office, President Carter continued his fight for peace, democracy, and human dignity through the Carter Center.

‘I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom, and profound grace. His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come. Our world is a better place because of President Carter,’ she added. ‘Doug and I send our love and prayers to the Carter family.’

With the passing of former President Jimmy Carter at 100, we may now take the full measure of the man. The 39th president’s legacy is that of a role model for us all, regardless of party, ideology, world view or position in life. Quite simply, Jimmy Carter led a heroic life and, for many, represents everything that’s right about public service. His was a life well lived.

I say this as a fellow Democrat who disagreed with Carter on his policies in the Middle East and in countries like Venezuela. But I say it not to criticize the former president, but rather to underscore his unbending commitment to principle, integrity and in unfailingly doing what he believed was the right thing.

Carter’s life reads like a storybook. He was a military leader and hero, a successful farmer and businessman, and a governor who was a trendsetter on civil rights. He did all this while understanding the concerns of those now known as the ultra-MAGA voters in America. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment was winning the presidency in 1976 on a simple program of convincing the American people that he was an outsider, a fresh face and someone who, in his words, ‘would never lie to you.’

His sole term in the White House saw a number of great successes as well as well-documented failures. He was most successful in the Middle East with the signing of the Camp David Accords. He gave back the Panama Canal and signed a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia. His failures were most notably the economic crisis that spawned the term ‘stagflation,’ and, of course, the Iranian hostage crisis and botched rescue attempt. His term also saw an energy crisis that burdened Americans with sky-rocketing gas prices and long lines at the gas pumps.

It is important also to know that Carter was a man of faith and God. He was private in his religious beliefs but also compassionate and committed in the most humble of ways possible. He taught Sunday School in his hometown of Plains, Ga., both before and after his presidency with little public notice or awareness.

Carter’s marriage to Rosalynn was a model for us all. It was a partnership that lasted 77 years, apparently without stress or discord but with a joint commitment to the private and public values they both shared and a desire to advance their worldview and values.

But it’s probably most important to note that Carter’s greatest accomplishment, after losing in a landslide to Ronald Reagan in 1980, was setting up the Carter Center, dedicated to promoting world peace. He was able to continue to work on the Israel-Palestinian crisis. He conducted peace negotiations around the world, helped to oversee contentious elections and political change as well as working to eliminate the scourge of highly infectious and contagious diseases.

This model of a post-presidency was and is something that set the stage for what others, including former President Bill Clinton, did post-presidency. After leaving the White House, Carter stimulated a period of extra-legal and judicial activism that produced both the presidential medal in 1999 and a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

But as I reflect on President Carter’s life, perhaps his final momentous decision, to go into hospice care in February of 2023, sends a powerful and profound message about end-of-life care and the decisions that we will all inevitably have to make.

By embracing the final chapter in his life with such grace and dignity, former Carter did something that I thought was almost impossible: He raised his own stature and served as a role model for us all, while providing a degree of leadership and service that, I think it’s fair to say, is unmatched in American political and civic life.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu successfully underwent surgery on Sunday, Fox News has learned.

The Israeli leader had his prostate removed after suffering a urinary tract infection, which had reportedly ‘stemmed from a benign enlargement of his prostate,’ according to Netanyahu’s office.

On Sunday, Netanyahu’s office announced that the surgery ‘ended successfully and without complications.’

‘The Prime Minister woke up from the anesthesia; his condition was good, and he was fully conscious,’ the statement, which was translated from Hebrew to English, read. ‘The Prime Minister has now been transferred to a secure underground recovery unit. He is expected to remain in the hospital for observation in the coming days.’

‘The PM wished to thank the dedicated team of doctors who operated on him.’

The Israeli leader has undergone several health procedures over the past two years. In March, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery under full anesthesia, and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin temporarily assumed his role during the process.

Months before the Oct. 7 attacks, Netanyahu suffered dehydration and was admitted to a hospital in July 2023.  The Israeli leader said that he became dehydrated after visiting the Sea of Galilee without water or sun protection during a heatwave.

A week after being admitted for dehydration, Netanyahu’s doctors implanted a pacemaker to regulate his heart rate and rhythm.

‘A week ago, I was fitted with a monitoring device. That device beeped this evening and said I must have a pacemaker and that I must do this already tonight,’ Netanyahu, then 73, said at the time. ‘I feel great, but I need to listen to my doctors.’

Netanyahu’s most recent operation came as the 75-year-old politician continues to testify in a corruption case against him in Israel.  He took the stand earlier in December and is expected to continue testifying in the new year.

Netanyahu is also currently leading the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on multiple fronts across the Middle East, continuing to target Iranian terrorists and their proxies.

The IDF recently launched multiple strikes against Houthi rebels, hitting Sanaa International Airport in Yemen and Houthi infrastructure in the ports of Al-Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Kanatib.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

One of Former President Jimmy Carter’sdefining moments was being the president who managed to broker the first peace agreement in the Middle East, successfully ushering in peace between Israel and Egypt after 30 years of war.

With the Camp David Accords of 1978, Carter was able to stand out from his predecessors by notching a success in an area where they had failed. 

The feat became particularly notable amid a presidency known for various economic and foreign affairs shortcomings. 

According to Martin Indyk, the Lowy distinguished fellow in U.S.-Middle East diplomacy at the Council on Foreign Relations, ‘Arab-Israeli peace has always been the kind of Holy Grail for American diplomacy.’

‘There have been other agreements, but none of them so important, as the peace treaty that Jimmy Carter brokered between Israel and Egypt. It was the first, and it was the most important,’ Indyk, who was once special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations under former President Obama, continued. 

The Camp David Accords were signed by then-President Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978, and signaled peace between the two countries. Egypt was considered the largest and most powerful Arab nation at the time. 

Negotiations had begun years earlier, in 1973, and were led by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The start of discussions was prompted by the Yom Kippur War, which had proven an expensive conflict for both Israel and Egypt, as well as the Arab countries it led. 

Kissinger had managed to negotiate a ceasefire and disengagement pact, leading to Isreal withdrawing a third of its military forces from the Sinai Peninsula. 

Carter first sought to finalize a deal in November 1977, when Sadat historically traveled to Jerusalem and gave remarks on his desire for peace between the countries.

Indyk described those inital talks very difficult and noted they were ultimately unsuccessful.

‘So you had this… moment of great hope created by Sadat’s initiative, to go into the enemy’s den as it were, into Jerusalem and to speak of peace. But that proved very difficult to achieve agreement,’ he said. ‘And that’s when Carter took the risky decision to bring both leaders to Camp David to try to broker a peace agreement between them.’

The high-risk meeting with both leaders at Camp David was confidential and lasted 12 days.

‘They had no certainty at all that they would be able to bridge the gaps,’ Indyk said of the meeting’s sensitive nature. 

Carter faced an important question during the meeting: What would happen to the Palestinian people?

‘The Palestinian cause was a national cause for the Arabs and so Sadat felt he could not simply abandon them. That he had to have some understanding about what would happen for the Palestinians once he made peace with Israel,’ Indyk explained.

Indyk attributed Carter’s decision to focus solely on Israel and Egypt to the former president’s ‘genius.’ 

‘They had a kind of loose framework for what would happen on the Palestinian front, but essentially, the deal that he did, that he persuaded president Sadat of Egypt to do, was a standalone peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. That’s what he succeeded in negotiating that Camp David,’ he said.

But this result was contrary to what aides for Carter and Sadat both had advised, per Indyk. 

‘This was Carter’s decision. Against the advice of his advisers and against the advice of Sadat’s advisers, it was his decision to go for the separate peace between Israel and Egypt.’ 

The agreement with Sadat went on to become a foreign policy hallmark of Carter’s presidency and also earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

‘He was an embattled president,’ Indyk said. ‘Nothing else was really going well for him. There were other things he achieved, but this was the most important one.’

Tributes, including those from all five living presidents, poured in on Sunday after news broke that former President Jimmy Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100.

Carter served as the 39th president of the United States, but he was also a peanut farmer with a vision of a ‘competent and compassionate’ government, which propelled him into the White House.

Former President Bill Clinton said in a statement on Sunday that he and his wife, Hillary, met Carter in 1975 as ‘proud, early supporters’ of his presidential campaign.

‘Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life,’ Clinton wrote. ‘Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others – until the very end.’

Clinton continued by praising his presidential colleague for his commitment to civil rights while serving as a state senator and the governor of Georgia, as well as his efforts as president to protect natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, returning the Panama Canal to Panama and securing peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David.

Carter’s devotions after serving as president also gained accolades from Clinton, including efforts from the Carter Center to support honest elections, advancing peace and combating disease.

‘I will always be proud to have presented the Medal of Freedom to him and Rosalynn in 1999, and to have worked with him in the years after he left the White House,’ Clinton wrote. ‘Our prayers are with Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and their families.’

Former President George W. Bush said Carter was ‘a man of deeply held convictions’ who was loyal to his family, his community and his country.

‘President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency,’ Bush said. ‘His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.’

Carter, according to former President Obama, promised voters he would always tell the truth, which Obama said ‘he did.’

‘He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image,’ he added. ‘Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service.’

Obama highlighted a quote that Carter said when he accepted his Nobel Peace Prize: ‘God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace.’

‘He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it,’ Obama said.

In another post on X, Obama said, ‘President Carter taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man.’

President Biden referred to Carter as a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism.

He also said he and his wife will cherish seeing Carter and his late wife, Rosalynn, together, noting that the love between the two is the ‘definition of partnership,’ while their leadership is the definition of ‘patriotism.’

‘We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts,’ Biden said. ‘To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy.’

President-elect Trump also reacted to Carter’s death on Truth Social.

‘The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude,’ Trump wrote. ‘Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.’

President Biden addressed the nation on Sunday in the wake of former President Jimmy Carter’s death, commending the late statesman while also taking a swipe at the current president-elect during his speech.

Biden, who sounded hoarse during the speech, said he ‘lost a dear friend’ on Sunday, noting that he had known Carter for more than 50 years. Carter passed away in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100, after nearly two years of being in hospice care.

During his remarks, Biden said Carter is a model ‘of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, a life of principle, faith and humility.’

‘Some look at Jimmy Carter and see a man of a bygone era with honesty and character. Faith and humility mattered, but I don’t believe it’s a bygone era,’ Biden said. ‘We’d all do well to try to be more like Jimmy Carter.’

Biden said his fondest memory of Carter happened in the 1970s when the then-Georgia governor asked Biden for help with his presidential campaign.

‘He grabbed me by the arm and said, ‘I need you to help with my campaign,” Biden recalled. ‘I said, ‘I’ve only been around a couple of years, Mr. Governor.’ He said, ‘No, it’ll make a difference.”

‘I said, ‘I’m not sure it will,’ Biden added. ‘When I endorsed him for president, I told him why [I] was endorsing him and that it was not only his policies but his character, his decency, the honor he communicated to everyone.’

When a reporter asked Biden what President-elect Trump should take from Carter’s legacy, Biden replied, ‘Decency.’

‘Decency, decency, decency. … Can you imagine Jimmy Carter walking by someone who needed something and just keep walking? Can you imagine Jimmy Carter referring to someone by the way they look or the way they talk?’

Biden’s speech came after Trump issued his own statement about Carter’s death.

‘Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.’

Trump later wrote that although he ‘strongly’ disagreed with Carter philosophically and politically, he realized that the former president ‘truly loved and respected’ the U.S. and all it stands for.

‘He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect,’ Trump said. ‘He was truly a good man and, of course, will be greatly missed. He was also very consequential, far more than most Presidents, after he left the Oval Office.’

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

World leaders from across the globe are expressing their sincere condolences as the U.S. mourns the death of former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at the age of 100 on Sunday.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel took to X to give his commiserations in the wake of Carter’s death, writing, ‘Condolences to the people and government of the United States, especially to the family and loved ones of President James Carter. Our people will remember with gratitude his efforts to improve relations, his visits to Cuba and his statement in favor of the freedom of the (Cuban) Five.’

In his one term in the White House, Carter struck the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, helped take the world further from nuclear proliferation with the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT), signed the Panama Canal Treaties, which ended a century of direct American control over the crucial canal, and deregulated the nation’s airline industry.

Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to find peaceful solutions when dealing with international conflicts, leaving many world leaders to applaud his work promoting economic and social development as well as human rights.

‘We express our heartfelt condolences to the American people and to the family of former US President Jimmy Carter on his passing. He was a leader who served during a time when Ukraine was not yet independent, yet his heart stood firmly with us in our ongoing fight for freedom. We deeply appreciate his steadfast commitment to Christian faith and democratic values, as well as his unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked aggression. He devoted his life to promoting peace in the world and defending human rights. Today, let us remember: peace matters, and the world must remain united in standing against those who threaten these values. May his memory be eternal,’ said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Long-time allies of the U.S. the Royal Family’s King Charles also took to social media to express his sorrow. 

‘It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter. He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.’

Carter died at his home in Georgia surrounded by his family.

‘My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,’ said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. ‘My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.’