In brief
A senior official from Lebanon's president's office has stated that the country will only initiate direct negotiations with Israel if a ceasefire is established beforehand. This demand follows Israeli airstrikes that have resulted in significant casualties in Lebanon. The US State Department is planned to facilitate discussions on ceasefire negotiations, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has been open to such talks after requests from the Lebanese government. The ongoing violence has included continued attacks from both sides, with high civilian casualties reported.
A senior official in the Lebanese president's office has told the BBC that Lebanon will participate in direct negotiations with Israel next week only if there is a ceasefire in place beforehand.This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized direct talks following what he said were repeated requests from the Lebanese government. A US State Department official stated it will host a meeting next week in Washington to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations between the two countries.Israeli air strikes have continued to hit Lebanon, with 21 people killed in the latest attacks, Lebanese authorities say. Hezbollah has also fired more rockets at several places in Israel. There are reports of severe civilian casualties, including seven members of the same family killed in the town of Abbassieh and 11 others in Zrarieh.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) indicated that it targeted approximately 10 rocket launchers that had fired at northern Israel and will continue to locate and destroy more. In response, Hezbollah has been attacking Israel, indicating it was acting against what they perceive as Israel's violations of a US-Iran ceasefire agreement. Discussions on future peace negotiations are significant, as direct talks between Lebanon and Israel historically have been rare, typically facilitated by intermediaries. Despite the current ceasefire discussions, the conflict continues, with dire humanitarian implications in Lebanon where over a million are reportedly displaced due to the ongoing violence.
