Israel-Gaza-Lebanon live updates: American hostage's father makes plea to Biden and Trump

The goal of Israel’s ongoing war with Hezbollah was to "damage Hezbollah’s capabilities and create the conditions for the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, in his first comments since the ceasefire went into effect.

"We will see in the next 60 days whether this goal is realized. When the details of the arrangement, including all its components, become clear to the public, and if effective enforcement is carried out, with Israel at the center, calm and deterrence will be created, it will be possible to say that the goal has been achieved," Katz added.

Katz said the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire is "creating additional pressure on Hamas."

"From here we look towards the southern front, with the most important goal being to return all the kidnapped people home safely and quickly. Results of the campaign in the north are creating additional pressure on Hamas and we intend to make every effort to create the conditions for a new hostage deal and to bring everyone home -- this is the most important moral goal we are facing now, this is the ultimate goal," Katz said.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

The Israel Defense Forces and Lebanese media are reporting several isolated incidents in southern Lebanon after the ceasefire went into effect.

Israeli forces fired "artillery shells" in Kfar Kila, Al-Aadaissah and Khiyam in southern Lebanon, Lebanese state media reported.

"In light of Hezbollah members entering the village of Kila, Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF to act firmly and without compromise against such phenomena," the Israeli defense minister’s office said in a press release.

"The IDF will operate against anyone who attempts to breach the ceasefire agreement and will continue to protect the citizens of Israel," the IDF said in a separate release.

Two journalists were injured after Israeli forces opened fire on a group of them in the town of Khiam while they were covering the return of Lebanese residents to the town, Lebanese state media reported.

The Israel Defense Forces said they received the report regarding several journalists injured in the Khiam area and added the IDF is "unaware of fire toward the journalists."

"As of now, only warning shots have been fired in the area," the IDF said. "The IDF remains in southern Lebanon and will actively enforce every violation of the ceasefire agreement."

An Israeli security official said there have been "several incidents" of gunmen and others trying to provoke Israeli forces in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire went into effect. The Israeli security official called them "isolated incidents" that often happen in the first day of a ceasefire and have happened in previous wars.

The IDF's position right now is that Lebanese residents should not come back to villages in southern Lebanon as they are not safe, the Israeli security official said.

The ceasefire calls for a handover from the IDF to the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon. The Israeli security official implied it would not be safe for Lebanese residents to return until that handover is complete.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have instructed the IDF not to allow the population to enter the area of ​​villages near the border in southern Lebanon, in accordance with the first phase of implementing the ceasefire outline," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a release Wednesday.

-ABC News' Ghazi Balkiz and Jordana Miller

Initial reports suggest the ceasefire is holding, but the Lebanese army is being cautious in parts of southern Lebanon, asking people to wait for Israeli forces to withdraw before returning to front-line villages and towns, in a statement to the public Wednesday.

The Lebanese army also said it is already starting to strengthen its deployments in the South Litani sector in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon on Wednesday.

The Israel Defense Forces warned residents of south Lebanon not to travel south of the Litani River from 5 p.m. local time Wednesday until 7 a.m. local time Thursday morning, in a post on X, warning any movement toward these areas exposes people to "danger."

-ABC News' Ghazi Balkiz

President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the U.S. "will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza" over the coming days, following the success of ceasefire talks in Lebanon.

Negotiations, Biden said in a post to X, must end "with the hostages released and an end to the war without Hamas in power."

-ABC News' Jordana Miller