U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has hailed steps to begin disarming groups operating in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

Barrack congratulated Thursday the government and the Palestinian Fatah movement on their "agreement on voluntary disarmament in Beirut camps, a great accomplishment as a result of the bold action recently taken by the Lebanese Council of Ministers. A historic step toward unity and stability, showing true commitment to peace and cooperation."

Pope Leo XIV is planning to visit Lebanon this year on his first foreign visit, Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said, a trip that would give history's first American pope a chance to speak in broad terms about peace in the Middle East and the plight of Christians there.

A visit to Lebanon could be the second leg of a planned visit to Turkey at the end of November to commemorate an important anniversary with the Orthodox Church.

Armed Palestinian groups in Lebanese refugee camps will start handing over their weapons to the authorities on Thursday, a joint committee said, following a deal reached in May.

"Today marks the beginning of the first phase of the process of handing over weapons from inside the Palestinian camps," Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee chairman Ramez Dimashkieh said in a statement.

Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel met Thursday with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, as Lebanon plans to disarm Hezbollah under U.S. pressure.

A harsh critic of Hezbollah, Gemayel said he rejects the marginalization of the Shiite community. "We want the Shia community to be a partner in building the new Lebanon, and this is a red line for us."

President Joseph Aoun stressed Thursday that “the decision taken by Cabinet on arms monopoly has been informed to all brotherly and friendly countries and the U.N.”

“Lebanon is committed to implementing it in a manner that preserves the interest of all Lebanese,” Aoun added, in a Baabda meeting with Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki.

Hezbollah is not against a vote in Cabinet on disarming it, local MTV news channel said, adding that according to its sources, the group is against setting a timetable for its disarmament.

Cabinet had tasked this month the army with developing a plan to disarm Hezbollah by year end and tackled a U.S. proposal that includes a timetable for Hezbollah's disarmament.

Israeli civilian Salah Abu Hussein, who had been jailed in Lebanon for the past year, was returned to Israel today, Thursday, Israel's government said.

Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki met Thursday in Lebanon with President Joseph Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri.

Speaking after his talks with Aoun, Zaki said his visit is aimed at “stressing the Arab League’s support for the principle of extending the authority of the state and monopolizing weapons in its hand.”

The Israeli army targeted Thursday several areas in south Lebanon, killing at least one person.

A drone on a motorbike in Deir Seryan killed one person, the National News Agency said. Another strike later hit the outskirts of Ainata - Bint Jbeil.

A convoy of armored vehicles carrying French peacekeepers barrels through southern Lebanon. Last year's war between Israeli forces and Hezbollah left villages scarred and empty. Rubble lines the roads. Torn Lebanese flags and Hezbollah banners flutter from shattered buildings.

From a UNIFIL base above Kafr Kila, the town below looks like a wasteland of crumpled concrete. Across the valley, bulldozers churn dust as they build new positions on land held by Israeli forces despite the November ceasefire.