Two US officials said they hoped the three-week ceasefire would allow for a permanent end to the fighting between the two countries.
They hinted that Israel and Lebanon had been supportive of the rapid discussions over the past 48 hours and might agree to the proposal soon.
One official said diplomats had held talks with both sides and expressed hope that representatives of their governments would accept the ceasefire proposal in the “coming hours.”
Hezbollah, the armed group that does not bear the same responsibility as the state institution in Lebanon, will not be formally asked to accept the proposal.
But the officials, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, said that if Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire, its government would be expected to ensure that Hezbollah fighters adhered to it during the 21-day period.
They said the pause in fighting could provide “diplomatic space” that could help revive stalled negotiations over the fighting in Gaza between Hamas and Israel.
U.S. officials also hope that backing down from the war with Hezbollah will pressure Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, to agree to a deal that would end nearly a year of fighting in Gaza and lead to the release of the remaining hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attacks.
The push to end the fighting comes at what U.S. officials have described as a dangerous new moment in the year-long cycle of violence, with the potential for a second front along the border with Lebanon that could draw in much bigger players on the international stage.
#Ceasefire #Hezbollah #Israel #Talk #positive #sign