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Israel and Lebanon Agree to 45-Day Ceasefire Extension for Peace Talks

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 45-day extension of their ceasefire that took effect last month, a US State Department spokesperson announced. The extension aims to enable further progress in ongoing political and security negotiations between the two countries. Despite the ceasefire, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah continue in southern Lebanon, with Israeli strikes killing at least nine people on Friday. The talks involve delegations led by ambassadors from both nations, focusing on disarming Hezbollah and establishing formal ties.

Key Points: Israel, Lebanon Extend Ceasefire for 45 Days

  • Ceasefire extended by 45 days for further progress
  • Political talks resume June 2-3 at US State Department
  • Military talks set for May 29 at Pentagon
  • Clashes continue despite ceasefire, killing nine in southern Lebanon
2 min read

Israel, Lebanon to extend ceasefire for 45 days: US State Department

Israel and Lebanon agree to a 45-day ceasefire extension to enable progress in political and security talks at the US State Department and Pentagon.

"The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress - Tommy Piggott"

Washington, May 16

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 45-day extension of their ceasefire that took effect last month, a spokesperson for the US State Department has said.

"The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said on X on Friday (local time).

Israel and Lebanon will resume political negotiations at the US State Department on June 2-3, while their military delegates are set to launch parallel security talks at the Pentagon on May 29, Piggott said.

The two countries held their third round of direct talks here on Thursday and Friday, which Piggott described as "highly productive."

Despite the ceasefire, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon have continued. Israeli strikes killed at least nine people and wounded dozens in southern Lebanon on Friday, reports Xinhua, citing the Lebanese National News Agency.

Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli drones, troops, military bulldozers, and a Merkava tank in several areas of southern Lebanon.

Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center said that Israeli attacks between March 2 and May 15 killed 2,951 people and wounded 8,988 others.

During the talks, Israel was represented by its ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, and senior security officials, while Lebanon's delegation included its ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, and former Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Simon Karam.

According to the Israeli official, the talks are being held to disarm Hezbollah and reach an agreement to form official ties with Lebanon.

Israel wants to preserve freedom to carry out air and ground operations against Hezbollah until an agreement is reached, while Lebanon is demanding an Israeli withdrawal from its territory, a halt to Israeli strikes and an end to the destruction of villages near the border.

The current round of fighting began on March 2, as Hezbollah fired rockets towards Israel, without causing damage. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
'Highly productive' talks is diplomatic speak for 'we haven't solved anything yet'. The number of casualties in Lebanon is heartbreaking—nearly 3,000 killed. For the sake of civilians on both sides, I hope these negotiations lead to something concrete, not just more extensions.
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Michael C
The US brokering this is interesting, but Israel demanding freedom to carry out operations while Lebanon wants withdrawal and an end to strikes... that's a huge gap. Even after all these talks, clashes are still happening. Feels like we're just kicking the can down the road.
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Vikram M
From an Indian perspective, we have seen similar ceasefire deals in our own region. Without genuine political will to address root causes like Hezbollah's disarmament and Israeli occupation, these extensions just delay the inevitable. Let's hope the June talks are different. 🤞
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Sarah B
The casualty figures are staggering: 2,951 people in two months. This isn't a conflict—it's a humanitarian crisis. The ceasefire extension gives more time for diplomacy, but the violence on the ground shows how fragile it is. Both sides need to put civilians first, not political goals.

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