ALBAWABA - Israel and Lebanon continue diplomatic conversations, with U.S. intervention. Five Lebanese detainees have been handed over from Israel to Lebanon via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).The ICRC stated Friday it helped to secure the return of the five at the request of parties. One was moved Thursday and four more Friday.Earlier, the Lebanese Army received one of the released persons, Malek Ghazi, through the Red Cross before he was medically examined.Israel Calls Release a ‘Goodwill’ StepIsraeli media said the release of the five Lebanese inmates was a goodwill gesture to the Lebanese government, coinciding with Washington's advance in discussions between Israel and Lebanon.The release was originally reported to have been arranged with the United States as part of the continuing diplomatic process.This comes after a round of discussions in Rome in August, where Israeli and Lebanese representatives spent three days talking over security arrangements and other unresolved concerns.VIDEO | The moment 20-year-old Lebanese captive Malek Kamal Ghazi, abducted by Israeli occupation forces in 2025, arrived home in Ain Ata, located in the Beqaa Valley’s Rashaya district.Ghazi was released yesterday after being transferred to a hospital in Tyre, southern… https://t.co/yCVK836Qzu pic.twitter.com/EC845FpU58— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) September 4, 2026 U.S. Presses Forward With Israel-Lebanon TalksThe two sides agreed on operational requirements for the establishment of initial “pilot zones” and methods for certifying that selected regions had been cleaned of what officials described as “terrorist infrastructure,” according to a senior U.S. State Department official.The broader U.S.-led effort is said to also call for third-party monitoring of Lebanese Army actions.Washington has also held separate negotiations with Lebanese authorities on possible international help for the country’s rehabilitation.The prisoner releases are part of a broader diplomatic push to go forward with negotiations between Beirut and Israel, with the United States playing a leading mediating role.