4m ago
Lebanese president awaiting Hezbollah response on ceasefire, which he says could begin within 24 hours
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is awaiting Hezbollah's response to a potential ceasefire deal with Israel, which could begin within 24 hours if the militant group agrees to terms, according to an Al Jazeera journalist.Aoun spoke to a small number of reporters at the Baabe Palace Thursday morning, according to Mazen Ibrahim, the Beirut bureau chief of the Qatari-state outlet. He told them that the Presidency is awaiting responses from all concerned parties before making an announcement on the agreement reached with Israel via the U.S. mediator.Under the terms of the renewed ceasefire, Israel and Lebanon agreed Wednesday to create a number of "pilot" security zones inside Lebanon from which the militant group Hezbollah would be banned.The ceasefire "is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives" from areas south of the Litani River. Aoun that the implementation of the ceasefire could begin within 24 hours of final approval.In practical terms, he is waiting to hear back from the two main Shia blocs – the Amal Movement and Hezbollah – before making an announcement about what lies ahead.He referred to the talks in Washington on Wednesday, indicating that they were "very difficult" and that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to personally intervene to get them resumed after they were briefly suspended by the head of the Lebanese delegation, Simon Karam.
