Delegations from Lebanon and Israel will meet on Tuesday in Washington to negotiate a ceasefire in the Israeli offensive against the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, the Lebanese President’s office announced this Friday, April 10.
“It was agreed to hold an initial meeting on Tuesday at the State Department [dos Estados Unidos] to discuss the establishment of a truce and the date for the start of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, under the guidance of the United States”says the statement, released after a meeting between the ambassadors of the two countries in the United States.
Confirmation of the meeting comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, on Thursday, the start of direct negotiations with the Lebanese Government aimed at disarming the Shiite group Hezbollah and establishing “peaceful relations” between the two countries.
Lebanon, for its part, stressed that it wants a ceasefire before any negotiations begin, according to a statement from a Government member to France Presse (AFP), on Thursday.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health also reported today that Wednesday’s Israeli attacks killed at least 357 people and injured 1,223, in the bloodiest day since the resumption of the war between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2.
The Israeli Army stated, for its part, that these attacks killed more than 180 fighters from Hezbollah, a group supported by Iran.
The attacks occurred after a ceasefire was agreed between the United States and Iran, to open space for negotiations on the conflict that has hit the Gulf region since February 28.
Washington and Tel Aviv have argued that the ceasefire does not apply to Lebanon, despite Pakistan, the mediating country, initially indicating otherwise.
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