U.S. Envoy in Lebanon for Ceasefire Talks Amid Israel-Hezbollah War
November 19, 2024
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A U.S. envoy has arrived in Lebanon for ceasefire talks in the Israel-Hezbollah war.
Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to President Joe Biden, arrived in Beirut on Tuesday.
The talks will take place a day after Hezbollah reportedly gave a positive response to a U.S. draft proposal to end the war.
What Is the Ceasefire Plan?
The ceasefire proposal would include the withdrawal of Israeli ground forces from Lebanon while pushing Hezbollah fighters away from Israel’s border.
A destroyed building hit on Monday evening by an Israeli airstrike is seen in central Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. A U.S. envoy arrived Tuesday in Beirut to meet with Lebanese officials about a… A destroyed building hit on Monday evening by an Israeli airstrike is seen in central Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. A U.S. envoy arrived Tuesday in Beirut to meet with Lebanese officials about a possible ceasefire.
Bilal Hussein/AP
A reinforced buffer zone in southern Lebanon would be established, staffed by additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers.
On Tuesday, Hochstein is set to meet with Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a prominent Hezbollah ally mediating on behalf of the militant group.
Last week, President-elect Donald Trump reportedly urged Hochstein to push through a deal.
Berri said in an interview on Saturday that he believed the chances of Lebanon and Israel reaching a ceasefire agreement now have surpassed 50 percent.
Airstrike On Beirut
On Monday night an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut killed five people and injured several others.
It marked the third strike in the city center within 48 hours.
Since late September, Israel has intensified its bombardment of Lebanon, and has vowed to severely weaken Hezbollah and end its rocket barrages into Israel.
Hezbollah began launching rockets on Oct. 8, 2023, in response to the war in Gaza, which began after an attack on Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 2023.
Both Hamas and Hezbollah receive significant backing from Iran.
The fighting has exacted a devastating toll, with over 3,500 killed and nearly 15,000 wounded in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Approximately 1.2 million people—a quarter of Lebanon’s population—have been displaced.
In Israel, 87 soldiers and 50 civilians, including foreign agricultural workers, have died in attacks involving rockets, drones, and missiles.
One-year Anniversary of Houthi Attacks
Tuesday also marks the one-year anniversary of Yemen’s Houthi rebels beginning their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor.
The Houthis seized the car carrier Galaxy Leader on Nov. 19, 2023, in a helicopter raid in the Red Sea.
The ship and its 25-member crew remain in captivity, despite international calls for their release.
The United Nations Security Council has urged the Houthis to free the vessel and its crew immediately.
Since the seizure, the Houthis have carried out attacks on more than 90 commercial vessels, sinking two ships and causing the deaths of four sailors.
Many missiles and drone strikes have been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition or failed to hit their marks.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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