Cease-fire deal between Israel, Hezbollah ‘within two days’: Israeli media

ISTANBUL

A cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah is expected to be announced within two days, Israeli media said on Monday.

The public broadcaster KAN, citing an Israeli source, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to a US-backed cease-fire with Lebanon.

According to the broadcaster, Netanyahu gave the greenlight to US envoy Amos Hochstein to move ahead with the cease-fire deal with Lebanon.

KAN said the deal is expected to be announced within two days.

Israeli sources claimed that the cease-fire deal with Lebanon is already set, and Netanyahu now is working on how to present it to the public.

KAN said the current talks are focused on Israel's freedom to operate along the borders with Lebanon and Syria after the agreement is finalized.

The broadcaster, citing well-informed sources, said that Tel Aviv has received US guarantees allowing Israel “to act militarily should Hezbollah violate the terms of the cease-fire."

There was no comment yet from Hezbollah or Lebanese authorities on the report.

Last week, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said that the Lebanese group had submitted its comments on the US cease-fire proposal, stressing that the matter now hinges on Netanyahu's seriousness in reaching an agreement.

Israel has escalated its airstrikes in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets as part of year-long warfare with the Lebanese group since the start of the Gaza war last year.

More than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with more than 15,300 injured and over a 1 million displaced since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1 this year.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar