(L-R) US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Israel Ambassador to US Yechiel Leiter, US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanon Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa listen at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 23, 2026. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP
Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, April 23, extended a shaky ceasefire by three weeks, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, April 23, as he voiced hope for a historic three-way meeting soon and a potential peace deal. Trump, at a standstill in negotiations with Iran, spoke in glowing terms of peace prospects for Lebanon, even as Hezbollah fired new rockets following deadly Israeli strikes.
"I think there's a very good chance of having peace. I think it should be an easy one," Trump told reporters as he met in the White House with ambassadors of the two countries, which have no diplomatic relations.
Trump announced that a ceasefire would be extended by three weeks. An initial truce was announced after the first meeting between the ambassadors on April 14 and was due to expire on Sunday. He said that he expected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to meet jointly with him at the White House during the ceasefire. The two leaders "over the next couple of weeks will be coming here," Trump said.
