Hezbollah, Lebanon agree to ceasefire with Israel amid escalating tension: Report

Israel has not commented on the recent development regarding the ceasefire talks which the United States is leading directly with Lebanon and Hezbollah’s officials. The militant group, which is backed by Iran, has endorsed Speaker Berri who is considered a close ally of the group, to negotiate the ceasefire terms.

People gather in front of destroyed shops that were hit Sunday evening in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

“Lebanon presented its comments on the paper in a positive atmosphere. All the comments that we presented affirm the precise adherence to (U.N.) Resolution 1701 with all its provisions,” Khalil said.

During the last war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, it was the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 which ended the war between the two opposing factions. Khalil was referring to the same resolution when he talked about the ceasefire.

The terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 requires Hezbollah to have no armed presence between the Lebanese-Israeli border and the Litani River, which runs some 30 km (20 miles) north of the frontier, reported Reuters.

Lebanon believes that the success of the ceasefire talks now depends on Israel as the ball is in their court and Speaker Berri’s aide Khalil said if Israel did not want a solution, “it could make 100 problems”.

But Israel has always denied the proper implementation of the Resolution 1701 as it claims the presence of Hezbollah fighters and weapons along the border.

(with Reuters input)