Israel and Hezbollah Ceasefire: Cautious Hopes for a Deal as Early as This Evening

According to The Financial News, there is growing speculation that Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah could reach a ceasefire agreement in the near future.
On the 15th (local time), National Broadcasting Company (NBC) reported that a senior Hezbollah official offered an optimistic outlook, saying, "Developments over the past few hours have injected strong momentum into the ceasefire talks."
The official said he was cautiously optimistic that the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which has continued for more than a month, could be resolved through negotiations as early as this evening.
He stressed, "Talks toward an agreement are ongoing, and whether there is progress depends entirely on Israel's position."
The Security Cabinet of Israel is also reported to be discussing the issue.
Despite these positive signals, many hurdles remain before a final agreement can be reached. Hezbollah has set a clear halt to Israeli military operations as a precondition for any ceasefire.
A Hezbollah official stated, "Only if Israel clearly demonstrates its intention to completely stop hostile actions will Hezbollah consider it."
The continued presence of Israeli forces in parts of Lebanon remains a key sticking point.
Israel is trying to separate its war with Hezbollah from peace talks between the United States of America (US) and the Islamic Republic of Iran, while the Islamic Republic of Iran insists that an end to attacks on its proxy, Hezbollah, must be included as a condition for any ceasefire.
NBC reported that Israel is currently reviewing the matter and has not yet issued an official statement.

jjyoon@fnnews.com Yoon Jae-joon Reporter