The news coincided with a statement from the media office of the acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati, responding to what he described as a "political and media campaign against the government and the president personally, based on the stance he announced in the cabinet meeting."
The statement reiterated that the "ceasefire in Gaza contributes to keeping Lebanon away from tensions in the region."
It should be noted that the media office's statement refers explicitly to last Friday's cabinet session and Mikati's remarks afterward, stating that "talk of calm in Lebanon alone is illogical. Based on our Arab identity and principles, we demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, parallel to a genuine ceasefire in Lebanon."
In this context, Reuters confirmed that Hezbollah's rejection of the American initiative aligns with Mikati's position, openly endorsed by the Party's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, last November. The agency reported that "Hezbollah's position is to continue launching rockets at Israel until achieving a comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."
A high-ranking Lebanese official familiar with Hezbollah's inclinations stated that they are "willing to listen" but consider the ideas presented by the US special envoy Amos Hochstein during his visit to Beirut last week as "unrealistic."
Three Lebanese sources and a US official revealed that one of the proposals made last week was to "reduce hostilities across the borders while Israel undertakes less intensive operations in the Gaza Strip."
Two of the three Lebanese officials mentioned that another suggestion conveyed to Hezbollah was for its fighters to move seven kilometers away from the borders. The Lebanese officials and the diplomat emphasized that Hezbollah rejected both ideas, describing them as "unrealistic."
In addition, the three Lebanese officials disclosed that Hezbollah hinted that, once the war in Gaza ends, it might be open to negotiating an agreement through intermediaries regarding the disputed border areas. This possibility was mentioned by a Hezbollah official in a speech earlier this month.
A senior Hezbollah official told Reuters, "After the war on Gaza, we are ready to support Lebanese negotiators to turn the threat into an opportunity," but did not elaborate on specific proposals.
In a related development, Mikati hinted that he was aware of the proposals Hochstein brought to Lebanon days before. In an interview on the sidelines of the Davos Forum in Switzerland, he stated, "I am aware of the American initiative and its conditions, which have not been announced yet but were conveyed to us and President Nabih Berri.
"We are ready to continue negotiations to reach a diplomatic solution by implementing Resolution 1701 and ensuring peace for the residents of northern Israel and the southern Lebanese," he continued.
Mikati refrained from disclosing the details of the American initiative, citing its diplomatic role, and expressed hope for its success. However, in reality, Hezbollah has toppled the initiative amid Mikati's silent response to it.