The American news website Axios quoted American and Israeli officials as saying that they believe that Hezbollah "has finally become willing to distance itself from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip."

According to Axios, an agreement to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah could be reached within weeks.

He pointed out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the potential deal with ministers, army leaders and intelligence agencies.

Hezbollah had begun supporting the resistance in Gaza since the first day of the war on the Strip on October 7, 2023, and the party refused to stop engaging the Israeli army, which led to the occupation army launching an aggression on Lebanon in order to separate the two paths from each other, which is something that Hezbollah still rejects.

Axios reported that the visit of Amos Hochstein, US President Joe Biden's envoy, to Israel indicates that Netanyahu supports moving forward with concluding the deal, and that Hochstein was waiting for the Israelis to decide their position on the deal before heading to Israel.

The Israeli news website Walla reported that Hochstein and Brett McGurk, Biden's envoys, will visit Israel tomorrow, Thursday, in an effort to conclude an agreement to end the war in Lebanon.

What the website mentioned contradicts what Mahmoud Qamati, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, told Al Jazeera that the party had not received “any project or political initiative officially.”

According to Qamati, Hezbollah's priority now is the field, stressing that "Hezbollah does not accept any negotiations under fire... Let the aggression stop and we are ready to discuss all political issues."

The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) said that it still believes there is a chance to reach a diplomatic settlement in Lebanon, and that it will continue to work to achieve this.

Draft agreement

The agreement in question, according to Axios, calls for a ceasefire followed by a 60-day transitional period. It is based on the re-implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and Hezbollah will move its heavy weapons north of the Litani River away from the Israeli border during the transitional period.

During the transitional period, the Lebanese army will deploy about 8,000 soldiers along the border with Israel, while the occupation army will gradually withdraw its forces to the Israeli side of the border during the transitional period. It is noteworthy that the Israeli occupation army suffered heavy losses in southern Lebanon and was unable to advance on the ground for a long distance due to the fierce resistance it faces from Hezbollah fighters. The party said that 90 Israeli soldiers were killed since the start of the ground incursion early this month.

After 10 occupation soldiers were killed and about 20 others were injured a few days ago, Galant described the death of the Israeli soldiers as a difficult day, and stressed that Israel must remain united in order to stand firm. What the site mentioned is accompanied by what several Israeli media outlets announced that the Israeli army is close to ending its ground operation in the Lebanese villages bordering Israel, and that the army informed Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Galant that the time is right to end the fighting with Hezbollah.

Source: Al Jazeera + Agencies