As the conflict continues to escalate in southern Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel, a last chance for a ceasefire lies with the US envoy to Lebanon, Amos Hochstein, who confirmed that additional progress has been made in negotiations between both sides.
We have made additional progress, Hochstein said during a conference in Beirut, after meeting with the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, for the second time in two days, referring to the ceasefire. He noted that he’ll fly from Lebanon in a few hours to Israel as part of his efforts.
Hochstein, who spent his second day in Lebanon, continued talks with Lebanese officials regarding a proposal aimed at reaching a ceasefire, and met with former Lebanese President, General Michel Aoun, where he briefed him on the course of the negotiations.
Ideas and proposals were reviewed in order to enhance Lebanon’s rights in these negotiations and further the role of the Lebanese army, which is heavily relied upon after the ceasefire.
Rising tensions
The conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate as tensions are increasing in southern Lebanon, while Israel furthers its assault on the Gaza Strip.
Axios journalist Barak Ravid said in a blog post on X platform, quoting Israeli officials, that Hochstein will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that his country is holding talks with the United States on a possible settlement in Lebanon, noting to a visit to the region – as an indication of the possibility of achieving this settlement.
In a briefing attended by about 100 ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Saar added that any agreement reached must guarantee Israel’s freedom of action if violations occur, saying: “We learned a lesson from the massive infrastructure we found in Lebanon and Gaza.”
The Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, said in a speech on Wednesday: “The party was able to recover from the losses it incurred… We are negotiating a complete cessation of aggression and the preservation of Lebanese sovereignty,” noting that the ceasefire at the present time is linked to the Israeli response and the seriousness of the Israeli Prime Minister.
Palestine’s future must be in Palestine’s hands
The spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu-Rudeineh, said that news circulated by Hebrew media outlets about an “establishment of a buffer zone in northern Gaza Strip and Jabalia” to distribute aid through a private American company with foreign funding, are completely unacceptable.
Abu-Rudeineh added in a statement on Wednesday that any plans related to the future of Gaza Strip, or the distribution of aid there, are only carried out through the State of Palestine through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and other relevant international organizations.
