US envoy expected in Beirut for ceasefire talks amid escalating Lebanon-Israel tensions

Ceasefire challenges and disagreements

The US proposal reportedly centres on implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. The resolution calls for Hezbollah to relocate weapons and fighters north of the Litani River, 30 km from the Israeli border.

While Hezbollah has submitted notes on the proposal, Lebanon opposes an expanded ceasefire monitoring committee that might include countries like Germany or Britain. A Lebanese official insisted the Lebanese army should handle dismantling any Hezbollah facilities under a truce.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, backed by Hezbollah to lead negotiations, has rejected Israel’s demand for freedom to act if Hezbollah violates the agreement. He has also called for activating existing UN peacekeeping mechanisms instead of creating new ones.

Ongoing conflict and toll

Israel’s offensive, launched after nearly a year of cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah, has intensified in recent weeks. Israeli airstrikes have killed 3,481 people in Lebanon, displacing over a million, according to Lebanese authorities. Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel has resulted in 43 civilian deaths and 73 military casualties, based on Israeli reports.

The conflict is rooted in Hezbollah’s solidarity with Hamas during the Gaza war and Israel’s declared aim to dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities, ensuring the safe return of Israelis evacuated from northern regions.
Hope for progress

Lebanese Labour Minister Mustafa Bayram, a Hezbollah appointee, expressed optimism after discussions with Berri but cautioned that a ceasefire deal is not yet finalised. “Attention will now turn to the Israeli position: does it want a ceasefire or to continue in its crimes,” Bayram said.

The outcome of Hochstein’s visit will likely determine the prospects for an end to the escalating violence.

(With inputs from Reuters)