JERUSALEM — Israel’s military says its forces will remain in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon after today’s deadline for their withdrawal under a ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group, as Lebanon’s government expressed frustration over another delay.

A separate ceasefire in Gaza was also in doubt as the region marked 500 days of Israel’s war with Hamas, while Israel and the U.S. sent conflicting signals over whether they want the truce to continue.

Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said the five locations in Lebanon provide vantage points or are located across from communities in northern Israel, where about 60,000 Israelis are still displaced. He said the “temporary measure” was approved by the U.S.-led body monitoring the truce, which earlier was extended by three weeks. Under the agreement, Israeli forces should withdraw from a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to be patrolled by the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers. The ceasefire has held since taking effect in November.

Israel is committed to a withdrawal in “the right way, in a gradual way, and in a way that the security of our civilians is kept,” Shoshani told reporters.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told reporters the ceasefire “must be respected,” saying “the Israeli enemy cannot be trusted.” He said Lebanese officials were working diplomatically for the withdrawal. Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said Sunday “there can be no excuses” for any delay past Tuesday.

Hezbollah began firing rockets, drones and missiles into Israel the day after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. The Israel-Hezbollah conflict boiled over into all-out war in September as Israel carried out massive waves of airstrikes and killed most of the militant group’s senior leaders.

Earlier on Monday, Israel’s military said its drone strike killed Muhammad Shaheen, head of Hamas’ operations in Lebanon. The strike in the port city of Sidon was the deepest inside Lebanese territory since the ceasefire took effect. Associated Press video footage showed a charred vehicle. Israelis held protests calling for the Gaza ceasefire to be extended so that more hostages abducted in the Oct. 7 attack can be freed.

An Israeli official said four bodies are expected to be returned to Israel on Thursday. The official gave no further details and spoke on condition of anonymity because details were being arranged. So far, no bodies have been handed over during the ceasefire’s current phase. There was no comment from Hamas.

Israeli officials have said they believe eight of the 33 people to be returned in the ceasefire’s first phase are dead. Hamas is gradually releasing the 33 in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces have pulled back from most parts of Gaza and allowed a surge of humanitarian aid.

This first phase ends in less than two weeks. Negotiations on the more difficult second phase — which would release more hostages and see the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza — should have started two weeks ago.

“All I care about, all I want, is for my friends to return. There were six of us living in unbearable conditions” Ohad Ben Ami, released 1 1/2 weeks ago, told Israeli President Isaac Herzog.