A senior Israeli official announced on Monday that Israel’s cabinet would meet on Tuesday to discuss a potential ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, which could be finalized in the coming days, according to Reuters.
A Lebanese official also said that the US had informed Beirut that the agreement could be announced “within hours.” The supposed deal would include an Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment of Lebanese army troops to the border region within 60 days.
News site Axios, cited a senior US official, saying Israel and Lebanon had agreed on the terms of a ceasefire, with Israel’s security cabinet expected to approve the deal on Tuesday, November 26. Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said talks were “moving forward,” but noting that Israel would still be able to strike southern Lebanon under any agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on Axios’ report. In Beirut, Lebanese Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab said there were “no serious obstacles” to beginning the ceasefire agreement.
As diplomatic efforts intensified, hostilities on the ground also escalated. Over the weekend, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 29 people in Central Beirut, while Hezbollah launched one of its largest rocket barrages, firing 250 missiles at Israel on Sunday. Israeli airstrikes also destroyed more of the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, on Monday.
Amid the ceasefire deal talks, other officials such as US Mediator Amos Hochstein, and the US Israeli Government Spokesperson David Mencer said they were moving towards a deal. On Israel’s part, its Ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog, also suggested that an agreement could come within days, stating, “We just need to close the last corners.”
Lebanese Deputy Speaker Bou Saab expressed cautious optimism, saying the chances of an agreement were slightly in favor of a deal, but he also questioned Netanyahu’s “trustworthiness.”
The diplomatic focus has been on restoring the ceasefire outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel war and requires Hezbollah to withdraw fighters 30 km from the Israeli border.
The Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalated into full-scale war in September when Israel launched a major offensive, targeting Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon. Israel has inflicted significant damage on Hezbollah, including the deaths of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and other top commanders.