Hezbollah agrees on ceasefire draft

The visit came just hours after Hezbollah formally agreed to a US-drafted ceasefire proposal.

The draft ceasefire marks a major step forward in US-led diplomatic efforts to end a conflict that has escalated since late September, when Israel launched a major offensive against Hezbollah following border clashes.

Both the Lebanese government and Hezbollah have agreed to the US draft ceasefire, after comments on its content. Ali Hassan Khalil, an aide to Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, said Hezbollah had appointed Berri as its representative to negotiate the ceasefire.

The draft calls for full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. The resolution requires Hezbollah to have no armed presence in the Lebanon-Israel border area, about 30 kilometers from the Litani River.

Although the talks continue to progress, some diplomatic sources caution that details still need to be worked out, which could affect the final agreement. A diplomatic official said the escalation in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and surrounding areas has not changed Lebanon’s stance in the talks.

Hochstein’s trip comes as Israel continues its assault on Beirut, killing at least five people and wounding many more, amid a conflict that has taken a heavy toll on both sides. More than 3,500 people have died in Lebanon since the fighting began.

The ceasefire, if signed, would create a 60-day period for Lebanese forces to redeploy troops to the southern border area, near Israel, to reduce tensions and stop fighting.