Israel and Lebanon are reportedly on the brink of a ceasefire agreement, with the Israeli cabinet set to review the proposal on Tuesday, according to officials from both Israel and the US.
The 60-day truce aims to halt the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia backed by Iran. The deal would see Israeli forces withdrawing from southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah would pull out of the same region.
“We believe we’re very close,” said John Kirby, a US National Security Council spokesperson. However, he cautioned, “We’re not there yet.”
The US and France, Lebanon’s ally, have played key roles in brokering the agreement.
Despite progress, fighting has intensified as both sides negotiate. On Sunday, Hezbollah launched 250 projectiles toward Israel, most intercepted, while Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah positions, including in Beirut.
The proposed ceasefire includes deploying more Lebanese army forces to areas vacated by Israel and Hezbollah. A Western diplomat revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tentatively approved the deal. Lebanese Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab added that “no serious obstacles” remain.
An earlier disagreement over truce monitoring has been resolved, with a five-nation committee—chaired by the US and including France—set to oversee enforcement.
Israel, however, insists on the right to take military action if Hezbollah returns south of the Litani River or prepares attacks. While this condition faced resistance from Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, US mediator Amos Hochstein reportedly warned that time is running out to finalize the deal.
Concerns over enforcement have also eased, with improvements in Lebanese army capabilities and support for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Domestically, the ceasefire has sparked criticism in Israel. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called it “a grave mistake,” arguing that now is the time to defeat Hezbollah entirely.
The hostilities began last October when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in support of Hamas. In response, Israel launched a major offensive in September, targeting Hezbollah’s infrastructure and killing its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Israel’s stated goal is to enable 60,000 displaced residents in northern Israel to return home.
Lebanon has insisted that any deal adhere to UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. This resolution requires Hezbollah to disarm south of the Litani River and Israel to stop violating Lebanese airspace. Both sides accuse each other of noncompliance.
The humanitarian toll is staggering. Lebanon reports over 3,750 deaths, 15,600 injuries, and more than a million displaced since October 2023. On Monday, Israeli airstrikes killed 31 people in Beirut, according to Lebanese authorities, following a Saturday strike that claimed 29 lives. Hezbollah attacks have injured several people in northern and central Israel, with damage reported as far as Tel Aviv.
While both sides inch closer to a truce, the escalating violence underscores the fragility of peace efforts.
