Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has told visiting US envoy, Amos Hochstein and US Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk that any ceasefire deal with Lebanon’s Hezbollah would have to guarantee Israeli security.
Top Biden administration negotiators were back in the Middle East on Thursday, October 31, 2024, for a last diplomatic drive before the American election, though hopes were not high for quick agreements to pause the fighting.
With Israel battling Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Brett McGurk and his de facto envoy on the conflict with Hezbollah, Amos Hochstein, held talks in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
At the same time, William J. Burns, the C.I.A. Director and top American negotiator, met with officials in Cairo, including the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
A U.S. official said on condition of anonymity that the goal of all of these visits is to support the Biden administration’s policy of “de-escalation backed by deterrence.”
However, progress in cease-fire talks seems unlikely in coming days, with the election looming in the United States.
Netanyahu’s office said after he met the envoys in Jerusalem that the Prime Minister specified that the “main issue is not paperwork for this or that deal, but Israel’s determination and capacity to ensure the deal’s application and to prevent any threat to its security from Lebanon.”
Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant also took part in the discussion, which he said in a statement focused on security arrangements as these relate to the northern arena and Lebanon, and efforts to ensure the return of 101 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Israel has intensified and expanded its strikes in recent days.
The United Nations children’s agency revealed that the Israel-Hezbollah war has killed at least one child a day in Lebanon over the past month.
It added that10 children were injured daily, stating that “the ongoing war in Lebanon is upending children’s lives.”
Yesterday, tens of thousands of people were on the move, leaving their homes in the eastern city of Baalbek after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders and a few hours later, carried out a series of air strikes.
Today, Israel’s military issued forced displacement orders for residents in Lebanon’s Baalbek city and surrounding areas for the second day in a row.
Israeli military’s Arabic-language Spokesman, Avichay Adraee issued the warning to residents of Baalbek, Ain Bourday and Duris.
Difficult To See Agreement In Near Future
Caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati released a statement following a series of meetings he’s held throughout the day.
He said that he believes these continuing Israeli escalations do not inspire optimism in the near future. He stated that the attacks by Israel on these historic cities are tantamount to war crimes and it is very difficult to envision an end to the conflict while Israel is continuing to increase its attacks.
He said that the intense air strikes have to stop in order for negotiations to begin.
Najib Mikati blasted Israel for its evacuation orders, the latest of which came today and displaced people in 10 towns and villages, as residents of Baalbek, Ain Bourday and Duris received renewed evacuation orders.
“The threats issued by the Israeli enemy against Lebanese civilians to evacuate entire cities and displace them from their areas and homes is an additional war crime, added to the series of crimes committed by the Israeli enemy, including killing, destruction and sabotage.”
Najib Mikati
Mikati said that he has conveyed this position to all diplomatic bodies, calling for intensifying political pressure to stop the deadly Israeli aggression.
He also met with US Ambassador, Lisa Johnson and Egyptian envoy, Alaa Moussa as part of his efforts to reach a ceasefire for Lebanon.
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