JERUSALEM/BEIRUT. Lebanon and Israel could agree to a ceasefire within days, according to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who expressed optimism about the prospect of a truce following discussions with the United States. This news follows the publication by Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, of a draft proposal allegedly outlining an initial 60-day ceasefire brokered by Washington.
The proposed ceasefire document, reportedly dated from Saturday, suggests Israel would begin withdrawing its forces from Lebanon within the first week of a truce. The plan largely aligns with prior reports from Reuters, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Mikati commented on the timing, noting that, initially, he had not anticipated any agreement until after the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday. However, after a discussion with U.S. Middle East Envoy Amos Hochstein on Wednesday, Mikati expressed newfound hope for a prompt resolution.
“Hochstein, during his call with me, suggested to me that we could reach an agreement before the end of the month and before Nov. 5th,” Mikati told Al Jadeed TV in Lebanon. “We are doing everything we can, and we should remain optimistic that in the coming hours or days, we will have a ceasefire.”
The White House, meanwhile, has remained cautious, with National Security spokesperson Sean Savett stating, “There are many reports and drafts circulating. They do not reflect the current state of negotiations,” but refrained from confirming or denying whether the Kan-published draft reflects the terms under negotiation.
For over a year, Lebanon has been experiencing escalating conflict, with intense fighting between Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group, and Israeli forces. Violence intensified following Hezbollah’s strikes on Israeli targets in support of Hamas amid Israel’s conflict in Gaza. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that of the 2,800 deaths attributed to the conflict over the last year, the majority occurred in the past five weeks alone.
Hezbollah’s newly appointed Secretary-General Naim Qassem, who assumed leadership following the assassination of the group’s former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, indicated the group would consider a ceasefire “within certain parameters” if Israel were open to halting hostilities. However, Qassem stated that Israel had not yet proposed any terms Hezbollah could consider.
The proposed truce, if agreed upon, would mark a significant step towards reducing the violence, as both nations face sustained casualties and domestic pressures.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
