JERUSALEM — Israeli officials are giving a lukewarm reaction to an international agreement laying out principles for postwar Syria.

The agreement, announced in a US-Russian statement on Saturday, confirmed the importance of ‘‘de-escalation areas’’ as an interim step toward reducing violence, enforcing cease-fire agreements, facilitating humanitarian aid, and setting conditions for the ‘‘ultimate political solution’’ to a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

It also affirmed what it said was a US-Russian-Jordanian understanding calling for ‘‘the reduction and ultimate elimination of foreign forces and foreign fighters from the area to ensure a more sustainable peace.’’

Israeli Cabinet Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said Sunday the deal ‘‘does not answer Israel’s unequivocal demands that there will be no developments that bring Iranian or Hezbollah forces closer to Israel’s border with Syria in the north.’’

Israel has long criticized the involvement of archenemy Iran, and Iranian proxy Hezbollah, in the Syria war.

The Shi’ite allies have sent forces to back Syrian President Bashar Assad, who appears to be headed toward victory after years of fighting. Israel has said it will not accept a permanent military presence by Iran and its Shi’ite allies in Syria, especially near the border.

Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that an international agreement on Syria would be a positive development, but stressed that Israel is not a party to this deal and would defend its interests.

Israel has largely stayed on the sidelines of the Syrian war, but officials have acknowledged carrying out dozens of airstrikes on suspected weapons shipments to Hezbollah.

Israel has said it will not allow Hezbollah to obtain ‘‘game changing’’ weapons, and it has expressed concerns that Iran will carve out a ‘‘Shi’ite corridor’’ providing a land route to ship weapons from Iran to Lebanon.

Associated Press