The security cabinet of Israel was preparing to decide whether to accept a proposed cease-fire in its ongoing war with Hezbollah, said an official Monday, as the White House announced it believed a deal to end the fighting in Lebanon was impending.
CNN reported on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had approved the plan “in principle. “
The United Nations, the United States, and the European Union have all pushed in recent days for a truce in the long-continuing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which flared into an all-out war in late September.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an Israeli official told AFP the security cabinet “will decide on Tuesday evening on the cease-fire deal.”
John Kirby, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, expressed optimism over the prospects of a truce but said talks were continuing.
“We believe we’ve reached this point where we’re close,” he said to reporters, adding, “We’re not there yet.”
The U.S. has voiced optimism repeatedly over talks on reaching a truce in the Gaza war this year. However, Israel is still fighting Hamas terrorists there even as it battles on the second font in Lebanon.
France and Washington have spearheaded efforts toward a truce in Lebanon and reported “significant progress” Monday in talks for a cease-fire. The French presidency urged Hezbollah and Israel to “seize this opportunity.”
Italy, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group of nations, voiced “optimism” about a cease-fire in Lebanon.
The American news site Axios had reported previously the parties were reaching an agreement that would involve a 60-day transition period in which the Israeli army would pull back, the Lebanese army would redeploy near the border, and Hezbollah, backed by Iran, would withdraw its heavy weapons north of the Litani River.
The draft agreement additionally provides for the establishment of a U.S.-led committee to oversee the implementation, along with U.S. assurances that Israel can take action against imminent threats if the Lebanese military doesn’t, according to Axios.
News of the security cabinet meeting came as the Israeli military said it conducted a wave of strikes Monday, including on Beirut’s southern suburbs — a Hezbollah stronghold that Israel has bombed repeatedly since late September when it ramped up its air campaign in Lebanon.
The most recent strikes hit around two dozen Hezbollah targets across Lebanon in one hour said the military. A statement said, “command centers, and intelligence control and collection centers, where Hezbollah commanders and operatives were located,” were targeted.
The strikes came after intense fire from Hezbollah over the weekend, including some attacks deep inside Israel.
There have recently been increasing calls to end the fighting in Lebanon, with a senior U.N. official urging “the parties to accept a cease-fire” on Monday.
Sunday, in Beirut, top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell called for an immediate truce, days after Amos Hochstein, U.S. envoy, said a deal was “within our grasp.”
When asked in New York about the possible cease-fire agreement, Danny Danon, Israel’s U.N. ambassador, said, “We are moving forward on this front,” and added that the cabinet would meet soon to discuss it.
The war in Lebanon came after almost a year of limited cross-border exchanges of fire initiated by Hezbollah. The group said it was acting in support of Hamas following the Palestinian terrorist group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, sparking the war in Gaza.
Lebanon says at least 3,768 individuals have been killed in the country since October 2023, most over the past few weeks.
On the Israeli side, hostilities in Lebanon have killed at least 47 civilians and 82 soldiers, say authorities.
Deal is a ‘mistake’
The initial fire exchanges forced tens of thousands of Israelis to flee from their homes, and Israeli officials have said they are fighting so the residents can safely return home.
Some northern residents expressed fears about whether that was possible under a ceasefire.
“In my opinion, it would be a serious mistake to sign an agreement as long as Hezbollah has not been completely eliminated,” said Maryam Younnes, an Israeli-Lebanese student. “It would be a mistake to sign an agreement as long as Hezbollah still has weapons.”
Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, warned on X that reaching a Lebanon cease-fire deal would be a “historic missed opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah.”
Ben Gvir has threatened repeatedly to bring down the government if it agrees to a truce deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Efforts this year by mediators to secure a hostage-release deal or truce in the Gaza war have failed. Early this month, Qatar said it was suspending its mediation role until the warring sides showed “seriousness.”
