Israel cabinet to meet to discuss Lebanon ceasefire deal
The Israeli cabinet is set to convene to discuss the approval of a ceasefire aimed at temporarily halting hostilities with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.
The proposed truce, which is reportedly planned for an initial 60-day period, would include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, according to media reports.
In exchange, Hezbollah would end its presence south of the Litani River, approximately 30 km (18 miles) north of the international border, with Lebanese Army troops taking their place.
Despite diplomatic indications on Monday that a deal was nearing, intense fighting continued, with Lebanese authorities reporting at least 31 deaths from Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah launching rocket barrages at Israel.
Ministers are expected to vote on the deal during Tuesday’s meeting, according to Haaretz. Reuters also reported that a senior Israeli official confirmed the meeting was to approve the agreement’s text.
Additionally, four senior Lebanese sources indicated that the US and France, a longtime ally of Lebanon, are expected to announce the ceasefire soon.
According to Israel’s Channel 12, the possible deal includes:
- A mutual ceasefire
- An IDF presence in Lebanon for up to 60 days
- The Lebanese Army replacing the IDF as it withdraws
- No Israeli-occupied buffer zone in southern Lebanon
- The US heading the five-country committee set up to monitor implementation of the ceasefire
- The Lebanese government overseeing arms purchases and production in the country
In addition, the US would issue a letter recognising Israel’s right to attack Lebanon if Hezbollah is perceived to be in violation of the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have agreed to the deal “in principle”. The Lebanese deputy speaker of parliament, Elias Bou Saab, told Reuters that there were now “no serious obstacles” to a ceasefire “unless Netanyahu changes his mind”.
The French presidency said on Monday evening negotiations had “significantly advanced” and urged Israel and Hezbollah to “quickly seize this opportunity”.
“We believe we’ve reached this point where we’re close,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. But he added: “We’re not there yet.”
But Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, spoke out against a ceasefire.
He said Israel should press on with the war until “absolute victory”, and, addressing Netanyahu on X, said: “It is not too late to stop this agreement!”
Lebanese authorities have said any ceasefire deal should be limited to the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.
The resolution includes the withdrawal of Hezbollah’s fighters and weapons in areas between the Blue Line – the unofficial frontier between Lebanon and Israel – and the Litani river, about 30km (18 miles) from the boundary with Israel.
Israel says that was never fully respected, while Lebanon says Israeli violations included military flights over Lebanese territory.
Though negotiations between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to be bearing fruit, parallel talks to end the war in Gaza have been deadlocked for months. This month, Qatar withdrew from its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group Israel is fighting in Gaza.
The war in Lebanon began on 8 October last year when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in support of the deadly Hamas attack a day earlier.
Israel’s stated goal is to allow the return of about 60,000 residents who have been displaced from communities in northern Israel because of Hezbollah attacks.
In September, Israel launched a major escalation of the war against the militia, destroying much of its infrastructure and weapons, and killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah and other senior figures.
In Lebanon, more than 3,750 people have been killed and at least 15,600 injured since October 2023, according to Lebanese authorities, with more than one million forced from their homes.
