In an interview with CNN, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib disclosed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had agreed to a 21-day ceasefire just days before he was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27.
The ceasefire, part of a US and French-backed proposal, was initially supported by both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ultimately rejected the truce, leading to continued hostilities.
According to Habib, the Lebanese government had coordinated its position on the ceasefire with Hezbollah and Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri.
Hezbollah’s acceptance of the truce was communicated to both the United States and France, and initial reports suggested that the Israeli government was in favor of the agreement.
However, despite early signals of approval, Netanyahu’s administration abruptly backed away from the proposed ceasefire. White House senior adviser Amos Hochstein had been prepared to travel to Lebanon to negotiate the ceasefire but was unable to proceed as the situation escalated.
This shift came as a surprise to US officials, with White House national security spokesperson John Kirby expressing confusion over Israel’s sudden change of position.
Despite acknowledging the diplomatic efforts of the US and France, the Israeli government ultimately issued a statement distancing itself from the ceasefire.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also weighed in on the ongoing conflict, revealing that Iran refrained from retaliating against Israel for the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Pezeshkian cited “false promises” from the US and Europe regarding a potential ceasefire in Gaza as the reason for Iran’s decision not to respond militarily to Haniyeh’s killing.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military intensified its operations in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions in Beirut and elsewhere in the country.
In one of the most significant attacks, five people were killed in a strike on a Hezbollah rescue service center in the Lebanese capital, marking the second such strike on Beirut that week.
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, 46 people were killed and 85 wounded in the last 24 hours as a result of Israeli airstrikes.
The humanitarian toll continues to grow, with over 1.2 million people displaced within Lebanon due to the conflict.
Lebanon’s interim environment minister, Nasser Yassin, reported that more than 870 shelters are now operating at full capacity, as the country struggles to cope with the influx of internally displaced persons.
Yassin also confirmed that diplomatic efforts were ongoing, with countries such as Egypt and Qatar, alongside France, advocating for a ceasefire, though Israeli operations have shown no signs of slowing down.
In response to the worsening humanitarian crisis, the European Commission announced an additional 30 million euros in aid to Lebanon.
This new funding aims to provide emergency food, shelter, and healthcare to those most in need, bringing the total European aid to Lebanon this year to over 104 million euros.
As international pressure mounts for a ceasefire, the conflict in Lebanon shows no signs of abating, with civilian casualties and displacement continuing to rise.