Media: Biden's senior advisers to visit Israel for peace talks

US President Joe Biden's senior advisers, Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk, are scheduled to arrive in Israel on October 31 in an effort to negotiate a resolution to the ongoing conflict in Lebanon.

Israeli and US officials indicated that a deal to cease hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah could be reached within a few weeks, Caliber.Az reports per Axios.

During their visit, Hochstein and McGurk are expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.

There is a belief among Israeli and US officials that Hezbollah may now be willing to distance itself from Hamas in Gaza, following significant setbacks the Lebanese militant group has faced in recent months, including the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Earlier, Axios reporter Barak Ravid noted that Netanyahu was convening a meeting on the evening of October 29 with ministers and leaders of the country's military and intelligence community to discuss potential diplomatic solutions to the war in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials announced on October 29 that significant progress has been made in negotiations aimed at achieving a cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The talks are reportedly in advanced stages, with a breakthrough achieved.

It is anticipated that US envoy Amos Hochstein may visit both Israel and Lebanon prior to the US elections on November 5 to facilitate a final agreement. Should the negotiations advance further, the Israeli army is expected to withdraw most of its forces, maintaining a presence only in strategically important areas where the threat from Hezbollah's Radwan Force has been neutralised.

Israeli officials noted a substantial shift in the situation in Lebanon following Israel’s recent air and ground operations. They claimed there is a consensus in Beirut to separate the conflicts involving Lebanon and Gaza, though they cautioned that fighting may persist during the ongoing negotiations.

The proposed cease-fire would initiate with a 60-day period during which both Hezbollah and the Israeli army would abstain from hostilities.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Lebanese army would be deployed in southern Lebanon, and a new monitoring mechanism for the area would be established, albeit without a new resolution from the UN Security Council.

By Aghakazim Guliyev