Netanyahu truce rejection/ Israel Hezbollah ceasefire/ Israel Lebanon conflict escalation/ Newslooks/ TEL AVIV/ Israel/ Morning Edition/ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed prospects for a 21-day cease-fire as Israeli airstrikes continued to hit Lebanon, killing 20 people. The proposed truce, backed by the U.S. and allies, aims to halt escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah. Netanyahu’s office emphasized continued fighting on both the northern and Gaza fronts until Israel’s war objectives are achieved.
Netanyahu Downplays Cease-Fire Hopes Amid Continued Strikes on Lebanon: Quick Looks
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed hopes of a 21-day cease-fire, dismissing it as merely a proposal.
- U.S. and allies called for the truce to prevent escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
- An Israeli airstrike killed 20 people near the city of Baalbek, most of them Syrian workers.
- Hezbollah has not officially responded to the cease-fire proposal but has linked a truce to a cease-fire in Gaza, which remains elusive.
- More than 630 people have been killed in Lebanon since Monday as Israeli strikes target Hezbollah military sites.
- Hezbollah continues to fire rockets into Israel, including a long-range missile targeting Tel Aviv.
- Families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas are pushing for any truce with Hezbollah to also address the Gaza conflict and secure hostage releases.
Netanyahu Rejects Cease-Fire Amid Deadly Lebanon Strikes
Deep Look:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed the possibility of a cease-fire with Hezbollah on Thursday, dampening hopes for an immediate halt to the escalating violence in Lebanon. In a statement issued as Netanyahu traveled to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, his office said the idea of a 21-day cease-fire was merely a proposal that had yet to receive an official response.
Netanyahu’s office also made it clear that no directive had been given to ease the fighting on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. This position comes despite a joint call from the United States, France, and other allies for a temporary truce to prevent further escalation and create space for diplomacy.
While Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has endorsed the cease-fire proposal, Hezbollah has yet to respond. The Iranian-backed militant group has tied its strikes on northern Israel to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, indicating it would only halt its rocket fire if there is a cease-fire in Gaza. Despite nearly a year of negotiations between Israel, the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, a Gaza cease-fire remains out of reach.
Airstrikes and Escalation
Netanyahu’s stance follows intense Israeli airstrikes that have targeted Hezbollah military sites across southern and eastern Lebanon. On Thursday, an Israeli strike on a building near the ancient city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley killed 20 people, most of whom were Syrian workers and their families. Initially, Lebanon’s National News Agency had reported 23 deaths, but the number was revised to 20 by the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Local official Hussein Salloum described the aftermath of the airstrike, noting that many of the victims were women and children. “We dug through the rubble with our own hands,” Salloum said, detailing how rescue operations continued through the night.
The Lebanese Red Cross and Hezbollah’s paramedic service worked together to evacuate bodies from the debris. Lebanon, a country of around 6 million people, hosts nearly 780,000 registered Syrian refugees, making it the nation with the highest refugee population per capita.
Hostages and Cease-Fire Efforts
Amid the escalating conflict, the families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas have been vocal in their demands. Many are urging the Israeli government to ensure that any potential cease-fire with Hezbollah includes provisions for the Gaza war. The hostage families have been advocating for a broader truce that could lead to the release of the 70 hostages still believed to be alive, as well as the recovery of the bodies of 30 others.
Gil Dickmann, whose cousin Carmel Gat was kidnapped by Hamas and later found dead in Gaza, criticized Netanyahu for missing opportunities to secure the hostages’ release. Dickmann stressed that any truce with Hezbollah must also address the ongoing hostage situation, warning that “if we don’t make the right decisions now, we will miss this amazing opportunity to get the hostages out.”
Military Action and International Pressure
Since Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel in support of Hamas after the October 7 attack, Israel has conducted heavy airstrikes across Lebanon. On Wednesday, Hezbollah fired a long-range missile targeting Tel Aviv for the first time in the current conflict. Israeli missile defenses successfully intercepted the projectile.
Despite the international push for a truce, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz emphasized Israel’s determination to continue its military campaign against Hezbollah “with all our might.” He reaffirmed that the government’s priority is ensuring the safe return of northern Israel’s displaced citizens to their homes.
In its latest operation, Israel struck 75 Hezbollah targets across southern and eastern Lebanon, including rocket launchers and military infrastructure. The Israeli military also reported that 45 projectiles were fired from Lebanon on Thursday, though all either landed in open areas or were intercepted.
Rising Death Toll and Displacement
The ongoing conflict has taken a heavy toll on civilians in both Lebanon and Israel. Since Monday, more than 630 people have been killed in Lebanon, with women and children making up about a quarter of the casualties, according to local health authorities. The violence has driven tens of thousands from their homes on both sides of the border.
Israel has moved thousands of troops to its northern border in preparation for a potential ground operation to push Hezbollah militants away from the region. The conflict has heightened fears of a broader regional war, especially given Hezbollah’s strong ties to Iran and its ability to mobilize significant military resources.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu is expected to engage in high-level discussions with global leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, where the focus will likely include efforts to de-escalate the situation and explore options for peace.
