### Emerging Details of Proposed Ceasefire Between Israel and Hezbollah

Talks to establish a truce between Israel and Hezbollah are moving forward, with contours of a potential agreement beginning to come into view, according to multiple regional and U.S. officials briefed on the situation. Both parties, however, acknowledge that numerous details still need to be resolved, and that disagreements could potentially derail the discussions.

Officials from Lebanon, Israel, neighboring countries, and the United States who spoke under the condition of anonymity outlined a proposed ceasefire that includes a 60-day truce. During this period, Israeli forces would retreat from southern Lebanon while Hezbollah fighters would pull back to the north of the Litani River, which parallels the Lebanon-Israel border. Furthermore, the Lebanese Army and a U.N. peacekeeping force would bolster their presence in the border area. The agreement would also introduce a new enforcement mechanism led by the United States.

Israeli airstrikes have significantly weakened Hezbollah’s leadership and military capabilities over the past two months, displacing hundreds of thousands of its followers. This damage has motivated Hezbollah's remaining leaders and their Iranian backers to consider a ceasefire. In a recent video address, Hezbollah’s new leader, Naim Qassem, confirmed the group’s engagement in indirect negotiations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces pressure to facilitate the return of tens of thousands of Israelis evacuated from the north due to Hezbollah's rocket and missile attacks, as well as fears of cross-border infiltrations. Israeli military officials claim significant destruction of Hezbollah's military infrastructure in the border area, and have noted that Hezbollah no longer insists that an agreement on Lebanon must coincide with a truce in Gaza.

Efforts to broker this agreement are being led by Amos Hochstein, a senior envoy from the Biden administration, who has visited both Lebanon and Israel. However, because the U.S. classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, Hochstein's main counterpart in Lebanon is Nabih Berri, the speaker of Parliament and a close ally of Hezbollah. In Israel, Netanyahu and Ron Dermer, the minister of strategic affairs, are key figures in these talks.

Hochstein reported unspecified "progress" before leaving Beirut and has been coordinating efforts with the incoming Trump administration to ensure continuity if an agreement is reached. The proposal builds on a United Nations Security Council resolution from 2006, which mandated that only the Lebanese Army and a U.N. peacekeeping force could operate in southern Lebanon. Officials noted, however, that this arrangement failed to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military presence in the region over the past 18 years.

A proposed solution involves a new oversight committee led by the United States to monitor compliance. It remains unclear which other countries will participate in this mechanism. If the 60-day truce holds, negotiators hope it could pave the way for a permanent ceasefire, potentially under the Trump administration.

Israeli military assessments indicate substantial success in their operations against Hezbollah, which have drastically impaired the group's capacity for long-range strikes. Despite this, continued rocket attacks from Hezbollah underscore the necessity of a ceasefire to ensure the safety of northern Israel and enable evacuees to return home. U.S. officials believe that Israel’s willingness to engage in Lebanon talks may signal a higher priority compared to Gaza, recognizing that a truce with Hezbollah could be the most immediate solution to stopping persistent rocket fire from the north.