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Holding consultation under fire, Netanyahu readies to green light deal

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
Today 01:48

The Israeli government is reportedly poised to greenlight a US-backed ceasefire deal with Hezbollah.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a session of the Knesset, in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, on November 18, 2024. (AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held "high-level consultations" on a mediated ceasefire agreement with the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah, as reports indicate an Israeli inclination to accept a US-brokered agreement.

Reports have conflicted on whether Netanyahu has approved efforts to reach an agreement, with Israeli media outlets offering differing accounts. The consultation included a few senior Israeli ministers and security officials, focussing on how Netanyahu "should present the agreement to the Israeli public after giving US mediator Amos Hochstein the green light to move ahead with the proposal."

Soon after initial reports emerged on the issue, the government-funded Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) cited an Israeli official who said that there has been "no green light yet" for an agreement with Lebanon, adding that there are still issues that need resolving.

Axios's Barak Ravid reported that senior adviser to United States President Joe Biden, Amos Hochstein, had been in talks with the Israeli prime minister, via the US embassy, informing him that if no positive Israeli response is given to American ceasefire efforts, then Hochstein would withdraw himself from negotiations. Later, Ravid posted on X that a senior official said that the Israeli government is "moving towards a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon."

Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth had also reported on a preliminary Israeli green light to a US-backed ceasefire deal.

Consultation under Hezbollah's fire

The Prime Minister who had boasted that he was holding ceasefire negotiations with Lebanon "under fire" held his consultation under continuous long-range missile, rocket, and drone attacks launched by the Resistance.

An Israeli assessment indicates that over 250 missiles, rockets, and drones were launched toward northern occupied territories and the Gush Dan area, which includes Tel Aviv. Sunday stood out not only for the sheer volume but also the advanced precision of strikes carried out by Hezbollah, marking an exceptional escalation compared to previous confrontations since the onset of the large-scale Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

Earlier in the day, several cities in "Israel", including Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Nahariya, were hit by heavy barrages of rockets launched from Lebanon. Israeli media, citing the Israeli occupation military, reported that around 10 missiles were fired from #Lebanon toward Tel Aviv.… pic.twitter.com/GTsWpWrvQz
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 24, 2024

Moreover, warning sirens sounded more than 500 times on Sunday in different occupied cities and settlements, as Hezbollah's attacks caused severe material damage and injured several settlers.

Hezbollah's success on Sunday was not only limited to long-range attacks but also included several remarkable operations conducted on the frontlines. At least six Israeli Merkava tanks were destroyed by Resistance fighters on several axes in southern Lebanon, while the Rocket Force and Unmanned Air Forces supported Hezbollah fighters' defense of Lebanese territory.