DUBAI, UAE - Israel is poised to make a decision on a ceasefire with Lebanon’s Hezbollah by Tuesday evening, an official said Monday, as the White House announced progress in negotiations.

John Kirby, spokesperson for the US National Security Council, on Monday said the discussions are “close” to an agreement but noted negotiations are ongoing. The French presidency echoed this sentiment, stating that deliberations had made “significant progress,” and urged both sides to seize the opportunity quickly.

Proposed ceasefire details

According to Axios, the proposed truce, brokered by US envoy Amos Hochstein, calls for a 60-day cessation of hostilities. During this period, Hezbollah and Israeli forces would withdraw from southern Lebanon, paving the way for the Lebanese army to assume control.

The plan also includes forming an international committee to monitor the agreement's implementation and provides US assurances of support for Israeli retaliation should Hezbollah launch further attacks. The proposal draws on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006, which mandates Lebanese army and UN peacekeeper deployments in southern Lebanon.

However, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, criticized the proposed truce, calling it a “major mistake.”

Israeli strikes and intensified clashes

The announcement comes amid escalating violence between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. On Monday, Israel’s military said it struck 25 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon within an hour. Later, additional airstrikes hit southern Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 50 attacks Monday, the highest single-day total since the group opened its “support for Gaza” front in October 2023. Israeli forces reported that 30 projectiles were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel.

Fighting has intensified since September 30, when Israeli ground operations began in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported that more than 3,800 people have been killed since October 2023, including many civilians. Israel has reported 82 military and 47 civilian deaths in the last 13 months.

In Syria, state media reported Israeli airstrikes targeting bridges in the Qusayr region near the Lebanese border, causing damage to key crossings where Hezbollah maintains a presence.

Gaza crisis deepens

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. At least 11 Palestinians, including children, were killed Sunday in Israeli airstrikes targeting homes in al-Bureij and al-Maghazi refugee camps, as well as artillery shelling in the north, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense.

Spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Louise Wotridge, speaking from Gaza City, described dire conditions for approximately 65,000 displaced people in the region.

“We’ve received reports of people scavenging through garbage and rubble, searching for old canned food or any sustenance they can find,” Wotridge said.

Israel’s military campaign aims to neutralize Hezbollah and Hamas’ capabilities, following Hamas’ unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Israeli officials also seek to prevent Hezbollah rocket launches and enable the return of 60,000 displaced residents to northern Israel.