Lebanon president says US-hosted talks aim to extend ceasefire with Israel

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Thursday that the anticipated talks with Israel in Washington on Thursday aims at extending the ceasefire between the two sides.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting in Beirut, Aoun said that he had briefed Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on the contacts made to halt the military escalation, particularly with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and on the results of the initial meeting at the US Department of State, the presidency said in a statement.

The discussions "focused on the ceasefire and launching negotiations based on ending the state of war with Israel, its withdrawal from the occupied territories, the return of prisoners, the deployment of the Lebanese army to the international border, and addressing the outstanding issues surrounding the Blue Line," he said.

Washington is set to host a second round of ambassador-level talks between Israel and Lebanon later Thursday in an effort to reach a peace agreement.

The first round, held on April 14, the first such talks in 43 years, resulted in a temporary ceasefire and an agreement to begin direct negotiations at a later stage.

Lebanon is seeking in this round to extend a US-announced 10-day ceasefire, which expires Sunday and has been repeatedly violated by Israel, according to Lebanese officials.

"Contacting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was never on my agenda," Aoun stressed.

On April 15, US President Donald Trump said that Aoun and Netanyahu would speak the following day, without providing further details.

Aoun said Thursday’s meeting in Washington aims at extending the ceasefire, including a halt to the home demolitions, and attacks on civilians, places of worship, journalists, and the medical and educational sectors.

“This is what the Lebanese ambassador to the US, Nada Moawad, would bring to the meeting, and she would do everything in her power to secure these terms,” he said.

Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 2,483 people, wounded 7,707 and displaced more than 1.6 million, according to official figures.