Lebanon’s caretaker PM hopes for Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire ‘in coming hours or days’

Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister has said he hopes a ceasefire deal between Hezbollah and Israel will be announced “in the coming hours or days”.

Najib Mikati made the comments after speaking to American envoy Amos Hochstein.

Israeli broadcaster Kan said the draft deal was written by the US and dated 26 October, and would see Israel pull out within a week of the truce starting.

It would reportedly last an initial 60 days and includes Israel‘s “right to act in self-defence” against imminent threats.

Mr Mikati told Lebanon‘s Al Jadeed TV station, the envoy “suggested to me that we could reach an agreement before the end of the month and before 5 November” (the US election date).

“We are doing everything we can and we should remain optimistic that in the coming hours or days, we will have a ceasefire,” said Mr Mikati.

However, the White House urged caution.

National security spokesman Sean Savett said there were “many reports and drafts circulating” which “do not reflect the current state of negotiations”.

Israel and Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the reports.

Israel began a ground offensive in southern Lebanon at the start of October and has also been carrying out airstrikes, including in the capital Beirut.

It says the offensive is designed to allow its citizens to return to homes near the border after rocket fire from Hezbollah over the past year forced them to move.

The Iran-aligned group is designated a terrorist entity by countries including the UK and US.

Hezbollah’s new leader, Naim Kassem, said earlier that it would keep fighting until it’s offered acceptable ceasefire terms.

In his first public comments since replacing Hassan Nasrallah, he said: “If the Israelis decide to stop the aggression, we say that we accept, but according to the conditions that we see as suitable.”

“We will not beg for a ceasefire as we will continue [fighting]… no matter how long it takes.”

As Israeli attacks continued on Wednesday, airstrikes hit the historic eastern city of Baalbek.

Nineteen people in two towns in the region – including eight women – were killed, the health ministry said.

It came hours after Israel issued an evacuation warning for the city, including its Roman temple complex – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“The whole city is in a panic trying to figure out where to go, there’s a huge traffic jam,” said local civil defence chief Bilal Raad before the strikes began.

Israel said later that it had targeted Hezbollah fuel reservoirs in the Baalbek region.

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Lebanon’s health ministry says more than 2,790 people have been killed and about 12,700 wounded since 8 October last year, when Hezbollah began firing rockets and Israel retaliated.

Most of those deaths have been reported in the last five weeks, and officials say more than a million people have been displaced.