Israel moves toward cease-fire deal with Hezbollah with Cabinet vote imminent

Israel is making progress towards a potential cease-fire deal with Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, according to a statement from an Israeli official on Monday. The Israeli prime minister’s office has not provided any updates on the cease-fire talks as of now. However, Israeli media has reported that the Israeli Security Cabinet is set to convene on Tuesday to discuss the matter.

“We have not finalized it, but we are moving forward,” Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon told reporters outside the U.N. Security Council.

A senior U.S. official also indicated that Israel and Lebanon have reached a cease-fire agreement, although neither party has formally announced a finalized deal. The Israeli Security Cabinet is expected to vote on the agreement on Tuesday, as per the U.S. official.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon’s top Middle East policy official, Dan Shapiro, met with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in Tel Aviv on Monday. Israel’s military has successfully targeted many of Hezbollah’s top leaders, but the terrorist group continues to launch missiles into Israel. Tens of thousands of Israelis who were evacuated from the border months ago are urging the government to allow them to return home.

“If Israel succeeded and Hezbollah failed, it means that Israel won the battle. I anticipate that Netanyahu will present the agreement to his voters as a temporary cease-fire for the purposes of rearming, regrouping, and waiting for a Trump administration,” said Amit Segal, the chief political analyst for Israel Ch. 12.

The recent efforts to reach a cease-fire deal were further complicated by the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant. Lebanon had initially sought French mediation for the agreement, but negotiations were strained when France decided to comply with the ICC ruling.

Despite the challenges, President Biden has reportedly cautioned French President Emmanuel Macron against mediating a deal while also promising to arrest the head of state of one of the involved parties. The ongoing exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah has been a daily occurrence since the conflict in Gaza began.

The proposed cease-fire agreement includes an initial two-month period during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The agreement also calls for an increase in Lebanese army troops to patrol the border area alongside a U.N. peacekeeping force.

While negotiations are progressing, there are still some outstanding issues that need to be resolved before a final deal can be reached. Israeli Ambassador to Washington, Michael Herzog, expressed optimism that a deal could be secured within days, emphasizing the importance of improving surveillance and enforcement of previous resolutions.

As discussions continue, parties involved are working towards finalizing the agreement to bring an end to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com.