WASHINGTON: Lebanon and Israel are set to hold a new round of peace talks in Washington starting Thursday as a fragile ceasefire between the two sides approaches its expiry amid continued violence.
The latest negotiations follow talks held at the White House on April 23, when US President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire and expressed optimism about a potential historic breakthrough between the longtime adversaries.
The ceasefire had been extended through Sunday. Since it first went into effect on April 17, Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 people, according to an AFP tally based on figures from Lebanese authorities.
This will be the third round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, which do not maintain formal diplomatic relations. Unlike previous talks, neither Trump nor Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend, as the US president is currently on a state visit to China.
Trump had predicted he would host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Washington for an unprecedented summit during the ceasefire period.
However, the meeting never materialised after Aoun insisted that Israeli attacks must end and a security agreement be reached first.
The ceasefire, extended through Sunday, has not entirely halted the violence. Since taking effect on April 17, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 400 people, according to an AFP tally based on Lebanese official figures.
Israel has vowed to continue targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed movement and political party, despite the truce.
Hezbollah began launching attacks into northern Israel following the Israeli and US attacks against Iran on February 28 and the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
A Lebanese official told AFP that Beirut would push for “the consolidation of the ceasefire” during the talks, stressing that ending the destruction and bloodshed remained the immediate priority.
Iran has meanwhile called for a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon before any broader agreement can be reached to end the regional conflict. Tehran has resisted repeated efforts by Trump to secure a deal on Washington’s terms.
According to Lebanese authorities, more than 2,800 people — including at least 200 children — have been killed since Israel intensified strikes in early March.
Israeli forces have carried out extensive bombardments in Beirut’s southern suburbs, while also expanding military operations in southern Lebanon near the border.
The United States has backed Lebanon’s sovereignty claims but continues to pressure Beirut to curb Hezbollah’s influence and disarm the group.
A US State Department statement said lasting peace depended on “the full restoration of Lebanese state authority and the complete disarmament of Hezbollah.”
