FILE PHOTO: Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US special envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut, Lebanon November 19, 2024. - Photo: Reuters
BEIRUT (BERNAMA-AA): A ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel is nearing finalisation and could be announced within the next 36 hours if talks continue as planned, according to Lebanese parliamentarian Qassem Hashem.
"The atmosphere is positive, and ceasefire discussions have reached an advanced stage. It’s only a matter of hours before an agreement is finalised and announced if progress continues as expected,” Hashem told Anadolu Agency on Monday (Nov 25).
This coincides with reports of Israel's security Cabinet planning to meet on Tuesday (Nov 26) to approve a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s private Al Jadeed channel reported late on Monday that Lebanon had been officially notified of the ceasefire agreement but is remaining silent to ensure its success.
The channel pointed out that "minor details” are still under discussion but are not expected to influence the agreement's core terms.
Hashem, a member of the Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, said that Lebanon would announce the ceasefire only after the US does.
"If sincere intentions prevail, the process will follow its natural course. Within the next 36 hours, we expect a finalised agreement,” he added.
Despite expressing cautious optimism, Hashem recognised the challenges posed by Israel, describing it as "an unruly and reckless adversary”.
However, he emphasised that the prevailing international sentiment supports an agreement, creating favourable conditions for a ceasefire.
Hashem also confirmed Lebanon’s commitment to adhering to the reservations it outlined regarding the US-backed proposal and to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which has guided the talks.
Adopted in 2006, Resolution 1701 calls for a cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon following a 33-day conflict between Hezbollah and the Israeli military.
Last week, US envoy Amos Hochstein visited Lebanon and Israel as part of Washington's mediation efforts to broker a ceasefire. Israel has intensified its airstrikes in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets as part of year-long warfare against the Lebanese group since the start of the Gaza war last year.
More than 3,760 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with nearly 15,700 injured and over a million displaced since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities. On Oct 1 this year, Israel expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon. – Bernama-AA
