During the ceremony Prime Minister Tammam Salam delivered a speech whereby he thanked all the individuals and nations that exerted efforts to release the hostages especially Qatar and its Emir as well as Lebanon’s general security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim and the Red Cross.
PM Salam urged the attendees to trust the Lebanese state and government, recalling all the martyrs who fell, in particular Mohammad Hamieh whose body was received earlier today as part of the deal.
For his part, Major General Abbas Ibrahim said that the joy will be complete when the soldiers detained by the Islamic State will be released.
Ibrahim also expressed thanks to Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and former Minister Saad Hariri.
Earlier during the day, Al Qaeda's Syrian wing freed 16 Lebanese soldiers and policemen in exchange for the release of jailed Islamists including the ex-wife of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The Nusra Front seized the Lebanese 16 months ago during an attack on the Lebanese border town of Arsal mounted together with the Islamic State jihadist group which is still believed to be holding nine soldiers captured in the incursion.