Despite previous hopes for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, US officials are warning that negotiations are far from complete. Israel’s military launched additional airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, causing widespread explosions and killing at least 12 people. This comes even as Israeli officials claimed they were close to finalizing a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
The airstrikes hit key areas in Lebanon, including commercial and residential buildings in Beirut and the southern city of Tyre, where 12 individuals lost their lives. These attacks are part of an ongoing two-month conflict that has already claimed over 3,700 lives in Lebanon alone. Israeli forces reportedly targeted Hezbollah strongholds, and evacuation orders were issued for parts of Beirut, including the southern suburbs, where attacks occurred close to key infrastructure such as the Lebanese police base and a major public park.
Al Jazeera’s reporter, Zein Basravi, noted that recent Israeli airstrikes have been more frequent, more intense, and often executed without warning, making it difficult for people to escape the oncoming attacks.
Amidst this violence, Israel’s ambassador to the US, Mike Herzog, indicated that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah could be reached within days, though final details were still being negotiated. Herzog mentioned that while some points still need to be resolved, the parties are “close to a deal.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet is set to meet on Tuesday to discuss the proposed ceasefire.
One critical aspect of the ceasefire talks involves Israel’s demand to retain the right to strike southern Lebanon under the terms of any agreement, which Lebanon has previously objected to. Meanwhile, the US continues to push for a resolution to the violence that has escalated alongside Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker, Elias Bou Saab, expressed optimism about a potential ceasefire, stating that there were no significant obstacles to its implementation unless Netanyahu changes his stance. The ceasefire proposal involves an Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment of Lebanese soldiers in the region within 60 days, a long-standing Hezbollah stronghold.
However, Bou Saab also accused Israel of escalating its bombardment to pressure Lebanon into making concessions during indirect negotiations with Hezbollah. He emphasized that the situation was approaching a crucial point for reaching a ceasefire, though US officials warned that nothing is finalized until all parties have agreed.
Despite this diplomatic progress, hostilities continue to intensify. Over the weekend, Israel carried out powerful airstrikes, one of which killed at least 29 people in Beirut. Hezbollah also responded by launching a major rocket barrage into Israel, with 250 missiles fired on Sunday.
As of October 2023, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed 3,768 people and displaced over a million. On the other hand, Hezbollah strikes have resulted in the deaths of 45 civilians in northern Israel and the Golan Heights, while 73 Israeli soldiers have died in combat along the border and in southern Lebanon.
While the hope for a ceasefire remains, Al Jazeera’s Basravi pointed out that in previous conflicts, surges of violence were often followed by a cessation of hostilities. “People are clinging to the hope that this is that moment,” he said.
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