Live Updates: Israel discussing Lebanon cease-fire proposal with US
Israeli negotiators met with US officials late Thursday to discuss the proposal, with talks expected to continue over the coming days.
The Israeli government on Friday said it would continue discussions “in the coming days” on a US proposal for a temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah as the cross-border escalation continues.
“Israel appreciates the US efforts in this regard because the US role is indispensable in advancing stability and security in the region,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement released early Friday, adding that Israeli teams had met late on Thursday to discuss the proposal and “how we can advance the shared goal of returning people safely to their homes.”
More than 700 people have been killed and more than 2,600 others injured since Israel intensified airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, according to local authorities, making it the most violent fighting since the last Israel-Hezbollah war, in July 2006.
The United States and France issued a joint call late Wednesday for a 21-day cease-fire across the Israel-Lebanon border, during which negotiations would continue on a more comprehensive deal between Israel and Hezbollah.