Israeli officials said Monday that Israel is making “progress” on a possible ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah terrorists.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office told Fox News on Monday that there was no current update on ceasefire negotiations. Israeli media also report that the Israeli Security Cabinet will convene on Tuesday to discuss the issue.
“We have not made a final decision, but we are making progress,” Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters outside the U.N. Security Council.
A senior U.S. official told Axios on Monday that Israel and Lebanon have reached a ceasefire agreement, but neither party has formally announced a final agreement.
A U.S. official told Axios that Israel's Security Cabinet is scheduled to vote on the deal on Tuesday.
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Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, on the southern outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, November 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussain)
Meanwhile, Dan Shapiro, the Pentagon's Middle East policy chief, visited Israel on Monday and met with Defense Minister Israel Katz in Tel Aviv, according to Axios and Times of Israel.
Although Israeli forces have killed nearly all of Hezbollah's leaders, the terrorist organization continues to fire missiles into Israel. Tens of thousands of Israelis who fled the border months ago are pressuring the government to return home.
“Israel started a war in the north with the goal of forcing the population back, but Hezbollah's goal was to force Israel to ceasefire in Gaza,” said Amit Segal, chief political analyst at Israel Chapter 2. speaks. He told FOX News Digital on the 12th. “If Israel succeeds and Hezbollah fails, it means Israel has won the battle. Prime Minister Netanyahu has appealed to voters as a temporary truce aimed at rearmament, realignment, and awaiting the coming of the Trump administration. I expect that we will come to an agreement.”
A man stands in front of a destroyed building after Sunday's Israeli airstrike in Dahieh, Lebanon, Monday, November 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Mara)
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Hezbollah responded with its biggest barrage in weeks, as Israel attacked central Beirut over the weekend and pressured both sides to reach a deal following a recent visit by a US mediator to the region.
A recent meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Special Envoy Amos Hochstein was reportedly complicated by news that: The International Criminal Court (ICC) has decided to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Lebanon had wanted France to broker a deal, but negotiations stalled after the French Foreign Ministry announced it would abide by the ICC ruling.
US officials told Axios that President Biden will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron to try to broker a deal while also warning him not to commit to arresting the heads of state of any of the parties involved. did.
Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire almost daily since October 7, 2023, the day after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and the Gaza War began.
Israel began heavy artillery bombardment of Lebanon two months ago, followed by a ground invasion. More than 3,500 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to the Associated Press.
A proposal being discussed to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah calls for an initial two-month cease-fire, during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would withdraw south of the Litani River. It would end military presence along the border.
Israeli military inspects the scene after a rocket fired from Lebanon lands in the Linatia neighborhood on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, November 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
The withdrawal will involve an influx of thousands more Lebanese troops, who have little participation in the war, to patrol border areas alongside existing U.N. peacekeeping forces.
An international commission will be established to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Resolution 1701 was passed in 2006 to end the month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah, but was never fully implemented. Although Hezbollah never ceased its presence in southern Lebanon, Lebanon said Israel regularly violated its airspace and occupied small parts of its territory.
It is unclear whether the new deal will be more successful than 2006.
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog told Israeli Military Radio on Monday that the agreement is aimed at strengthening oversight and enforcement of previous resolutions. He said there were still some points that needed to be finalized, but that a deal was close and could be reached “within days.”
A U.S. official told The Associated Press on Sunday that negotiations continued to make progress, but the parties still needed to resolve several outstanding issues to reach a deal.
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The official insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks but declined to provide details on unresolved issues.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
