US envoy delays his visit to Israel, stays in Lebanon for cease-fire talks

By Anadolu staff

JERUSALEM (AA) – US special envoy Amos Hochstein delayed his scheduled visit to Israel on Wednesday to stay in Beirut for further cease-fire talks with Lebanese officials, Israeli media said.

Hochstein is likely to meet Israeli leaders on Thursday to discuss efforts to achieve a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, The Times of Israel news portal said, citing an Israeli official.

The official, whose name was not mentioned, said the US envoy will discuss "technical details" of a cease-fire proposal with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Hochstein said following his talks with Berri in Beirut on Tuesday that a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah to end their conflict was “within our grasp.”

The US, Israel’s main ally, is mediating between Tel Aviv and Beirut to reach a cease-fire deal to end more than a year of attacks between Hezbollah and Israel.

Israel has engaged in cross-border warfare with Lebanon, launching an air campaign in late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets.

More than 3,500 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with nearly 15,000 injured and more than a million displaced since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1 this year.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar