US and Arab countries reportedly engage in talks regarding comprehensive ceasefire agreement
The US and Middle Eastern countries are working to negotiate a ceasefire agreement (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The US and Arab countries have initiated secret negotiations with Iran regarding a comprehensive ceasefire on all fronts in the Middle East region, reports Israeli Channel 12.
It is noted that Israel is currently not participating in this initiative, but high-ranking Israeli officials have been informed about it.
It remains unclear how these efforts will impact the situation in the Gaza Strip, which is more complex than on other fronts. This complexity arises from Israel's intention to continue military actions even after a potential agreement on the release of hostages and Hamas's demand to withdraw Israeli troops from any agreement.
"We are currently in a position of power, a ceasefire will be on our terms, including a [Hezbollah] withdrawal beyond the Litani [River] and the dismantling of all military Hezbollah sites in areas near the border," said one high-ranking Israeli official.
Hezbollah changed its position
Meanwhile, representatives of the Lebanese group Hezbollah no longer demand a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as a condition for achieving a ceasefire in Lebanon.
The deputy leader of the group, Naim Qassem, severed this link in his television address on Tuesday, October 8, promising to continue supporting Hamas and the Palestinians in their struggle against Israel.
Qassem, who became the highest-ranking official of Hezbollah after the Israeli elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, stated that he supports the efforts of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to secure a ceasefire - without imposing any preconditions.
"We support the political activity being led by Berri under the title of a ceasefire. If the enemy (Israel) continues its war, then the battlefield will decide," said Qassem.
Two days earlier, two lower-ranking Hezbollah officials also spoke about a ceasefire in Lebanon, not linking it to the Gaza Strip. Officially, the group has not announced a change in its position.
A Lebanese official, speaking on condition of anonymity, informed Reuters that Hezbollah altered its stance due to several factors, including the mass displacement of people from the main residential areas of supporters of the Shiite group in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
According to the official, this is also related to the escalation of Israel's ground campaign and the denials regarding Hezbollah's position from some Lebanese political players.
Additionally, since Hezbollah began launching rockets across the Lebanese border the day after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, official representatives of Hezbollah have regularly stated that they will not stop until Israel ends the war in the Gaza Strip.
Escalation in the Middle East
On October 1, the Israeli army launched a military operation against the militants of the group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Its goal is to push the Lebanese militants away from the border with Israel.
At the end of September, the Israeli army eliminated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Reports also mention the possible killing of Nasrallah's successor, Hashim Safieddine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the killing of two of Nasrallah's successors and a significant weakening of Hezbollah's positions.
