Continued Clashes Between Israel and Hezbollah Despite Progress in Ceasefire Negotiations

The war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon continued on Thursday, November 22, with heavy attacks. This comes as U.S. efforts to establish a ceasefire between the parties, despite signs of progress, have yet to yield results. On Thursday, Israel conducted one of its heaviest airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, while rockets were simultaneously fired towards Israel. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, Israeli attacks on this day left 25 dead. Reuters reported that a Lebanese official stated that the death toll from Israeli attacks on Thursday in eastern Lebanon was 'at least 47.' Amos Hochstein, the U.S. mediator, met with Israeli officials to finalize the ceasefire. He had previously stated during his visit to Beirut that a ceasefire was 'within reach,' but Lebanese officials have requested changes to the U.S. proposal, including a quicker withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. This diplomacy represents the most serious attempt to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which is part of the broader escalation of the Gaza war in the region. Since September, Israel has conducted extensive airstrikes in Lebanon and deployed forces to the south of the country. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes in various areas, including Baalbek and the south, resulted in the deaths of 38 people on Wednesday and Thursday. In Israel, a 30-year-old man was killed in Nahariya due to shrapnel from a rocket. The Israeli army reported that 10 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards Israel, most of which were intercepted. Ground clashes in the city of Khiam in southern Lebanon have also intensified. Released images show thick smoke from this area, which has become a focal point for battles between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. The death toll since October 2023 includes 3,558 dead in Lebanon, most of whom have died since the beginning of Israeli attacks in September. In Israel, more than 100 people, including 70 soldiers, have been killed in the north of the country and the Golan Heights. Concurrently with the start of negotiations by the special representative of the Biden administration for a ceasefire in the war between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament stated on Thursday that 'the ball is now in Israel's court.' Amos Hochstein met with Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday. He stated before this meeting that 'positive progress' had been made in ceasefire negotiations with Lebanese officials on Tuesday and Wednesday. The U.S. representative met with Ron Dermer, Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs, after arriving from Beirut. Dermer is tasked by Netanyahu with Israeli communications with the Washington government. Hochstein had also stated before leaving Beirut that his meetings with Lebanese officials had been 'very constructive' and added that reaching an agreement was 'in our hands.' According to Channel 13 of Israel, if the U.S. representative's meetings with the Israeli Prime Minister yield results, the possibility of signing an agreement within a few days will be available. However, an Israeli official told Channel 13 that the remaining points to be agreed upon are 'very sensitive and could cancel the agreement.' Israeli media also reported that Netanyahu views the agreement not as 'the end of the war' but as a 'ceasefire' and believes that calm from Hezbollah in Lebanon will be reciprocated with calm from Israel towards Hezbollah. According to Channel Kan, Israeli officials emphasize that the determination of conditions should be in Israel's hands, not Hezbollah's, following the severe blows the Israeli army has dealt to this Iranian proxy group in Lebanon. Israeli defense and foreign ministers have recently stated that their country must retain the right to operate in Lebanon in case of any potential violation of the agreement by Hezbollah. Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, stated on Thursday in talks with Lebanese media that all 13 points of the draft agreement that the U.S. government officially presented to Lebanon last week were discussed 'in detail' during Hochstein's meetings with Lebanese officials this week and that 'agreement on them' has been achieved by Lebanon. Mr. Berri represents Hezbollah in negotiations for a ceasefire with the U.S. government. He stated that his positions, those of Hezbollah, and Prime Minister Najib Mikati were presented to the U.S. representative in a coordinated manner. Mr. Berri remarked, 'The ball is now in Israel's court; either Netanyahu accepts the agreement or we will head towards escalating the crisis and much worse scenarios.' Naim Qassem, the new Secretary-General of Hezbollah, stated on Wednesday night that his group 'is still in the field' and will not cease operations against Israel until it achieves its desired conditions. Sheikh Qassem confirmed in a pre-recorded speech broadcast by Hezbollah's television network that his group has conveyed its positions regarding the draft agreement to the U.S. representative. The newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported on Thursday that the group demands that after the ceasefire, 'a precise date for the complete, rapid, and simultaneous withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Lebanese territory be announced.' Al-Akhbar added that Hezbollah insists on the return of its forces captured by Israel and the bodies of its members killed that are in Israeli hands. Hassan Nasrallah, the former Secretary-General of Hezbollah, insisted until his last speech before being killed in an Israeli bombing that his group would not accept a ceasefire between itself and Israel until the end of the Israeli army's war in Gaza and the fulfillment of Hamas's demands. Hezbollah began its military campaign against Israel one day after the surprise attack by the extremist group Hamas on Israeli territory, which led to the start of the Israeli army's war in Gaza. In the last week of September, after 11 months of rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah, the return of displaced people from the north was officially added to the current war objectives, and operations against Hezbollah were intensified.