Mohammad Sio
04 June 2026•Update: 04 June 2026
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Thursday that implementation of a ceasefire agreement with Israel “could begin within 24 hours” of final approval and the provision of guarantees by all concerned parties.
Speaking to reporters at the presidential palace in Baabda, Aoun said the results of the fourth round of negotiations in Washington and the joint statement issued afterward represented “the last opportunity” to reach a final and comprehensive ceasefire, according to a statement released by the presidency.
“Once responses are received from the concerned internal parties, especially Hezbollah, the Lebanese position will be conveyed to the American side,” he said.
According to Aoun, the US will determine the timing and mechanism for implementing the ceasefire.
“The ceasefire could begin 24 hours after the United States is notified of approval and the necessary guarantees are provided,” he said, adding that US President Donald Trump will serve as “the direct guarantor of the agreement's implementation.”
Aoun praised the Lebanese negotiating team headed by Simon Karam, saying it demonstrated firmness during “extremely difficult negotiations.”
He said Karam temporarily suspended Wednesday’s talks and refused to discuss any other issue until a comprehensive ceasefire was secured, prompting intervention by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to resume negotiations.
According to Aoun, the talks ultimately concluded with acceptance of Lebanon’s demand for a comprehensive ceasefire.
The president also said Lebanese officials remained in contact with international and domestic stakeholders throughout Wednesday and into the early hours of Thursday to secure the truce, while several “friendly and sister countries exerted pressure in support of Lebanon’s position.”
Regarding the proposed “pilot security zones,” Aoun said Lebanon suggested beginning implementation in the towns of Zawtar al-Sharqiya, Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Yahmar, and the area surrounding Beaufort Castle due to their symbolic significance and proximity to the city of Nabatieh.
His remarks came a day after Lebanon and Israel agreed to renew their fragile ceasefire and establish “pilot zones," placing the Lebanese army in exclusive territorial control, with all non-state actors excluded.
The agreement was announced in a joint statement released following a fourth round of US-mediated talks held at the State Department on Wednesday.
The US-sponsored talks followed weeks of near-daily Israeli strikes on Lebanon that have killed more than 3,500 people since March 2, despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 17 and was later extended until early July.
