Conflicting reports on possible progress towards cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel

Contradictory reports were circulating on Sunday evening concerning possible progress towards a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon. While various Israeli media were reporting that the prospect of a cease-fire was getting closer, the American envoy Amos Hochstein described his information as “inaccurate.”

According to a senior Israeli official interviewed by Channel 14, Israel seems to be moving towards a cessation of fighting in Lebanon, “a possibility that could materialize in the next few days.” The official referred to an agreement to be signed under the aegis of the United States, specifying that it would be a temporary cessation of hostilities, pending a possible definitive truce. The official also mentioned discussions on a possible settlement of the situation in Gaza, without going into details.

In his view, the cease-fire would offer Israel an opportunity to boost its economy, but it would also represent a missed opportunity to defeat Hezbollah, a fact that is provoking discontent among many residents of northern Israel. Channel 11 relayed a similar message, claiming that the agreement had been reached and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was considering how to announce it to the public.

However, Hochstein reiterated to Al-Jadeed that talk of sabotaging the agreement and his reported warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw from negotiations if Israel did not take a step forward were “inaccurate,” contradicting information reported earlier by Axios. He added that “no visit to Paris has yet been scheduled.”

Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported on X in a different message from the one contradicted by Hochstein, quoting a high-ranking Israeli official, that Israel's objective is to reach a cease-fire agreement in Lebanon.

This information comes as the Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesperson issued 12 evacuation notices for various neighborhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday evening. On X, he also emphasized the extent of the destruction inflicted on the southern suburbs, seemingly in response to the assessment announced earlier by Hezbollah. The latter had claimed to have destroyed six Merkava tanks during their advance towards Bayyada, in southern Lebanon, and carried out several attacks against Israeli bases, notably in Ashdod and near Tel Aviv.

“Anyone who thinks they can impose equations on Israel should avoid believing the news broadcast by Hezbollah's fake media, or take a trip to its southern suburbs to see the reality, especially today and tonight in particular,” the spokesperson wrote in a message posted on X.