Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi
The possibility of any ceasefire in Gaza may not extend to the southern front this time.
After 120 days of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and carrying Hezbollah out 961 military operations against Israeli army sites and points, there are 43 northern Israeli settlements evacuated, which is equivalent to a minimum of 81 thousand settlers who were displaced from them.
This pressing reality of the Israeli occupation may make a ceasefire impossible in southern Lebanon if a truce agreement is reached in Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that Tel Aviv would not ceasefire on the border with Lebanon against Hezbollah even if there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
Concurrently with this statement and in light of talk about an expected truce in Gaza, American envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Israel on a visit about which some Israeli media published positive signals.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation spoke about solutions regarding the possibility of ending the tension between Hezbollah and Israel in a diplomatic manner.
According to leaked information about Hochstein's proposal to Israelis, the plan in its initial stage calls for Hezbollah's withdrawal from southern Litani, strengthening the presence of the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL forces, and the return of residents of the northern settlements.
In the second stage, negotiations would take place between Lebanon and Israel to demarcate land borders, resolving disputes over occupied and contested areas, with Israel willing to make concessions.
Meanwhile, Yedioth Ahronoth published an article discussing progress in negotiations between the United States, France, Lebanon, and Hezbollah.
It suggests that Israel might settle for a Hezbollah withdrawal of 8 to 12 kilometers from the border to eliminate perceived security threats and secure settlers' return.
In return, Israel might agree to return secondary points of disputed land. The newspaper reports that the majority of Hezbollah's elite force of 2000 members has withdrawn 4 to 6 kilometers from the border.
However, the reports in the Israeli media about negotiations, progress, and withdrawals find no basis on the Lebanese side.
The talk of a withdrawal of part of Hezbollah's elite force from the border has no field basis at all, and all Lebanese field sources deny it, sarcastically noting that the concerned Lebanese side is unaware of any negotiations to speak of progress and agreement.
Hezbollah, as its Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stated, will not engage in talks or negotiations before a ceasefire in Gaza.