Israel says Lebanon ceasefire talks show progress, Hezbollah says no truce proposal received

Jerusalem, Nov 11 (IANS) Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Monday that diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire in Lebanon have progressed, though Hezbollah maintains no deal proposal was conveyed to the group.

"I think there is some progress," Saar said in a press briefing, adding that Israel is "working with the Americans on the issue."

He stated that Israel would agree to a ceasefire only if assured that "Hezbollah is not on our border" and pulls its forces north of the Litani River. Israel also demands that "Hezbollah will not rearm with new weapons systems," Saar said.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, said that no official ceasefire proposal has been conveyed to the group, Xinhua news agency reported.

"If you hear about negotiations or political movements, the real reason is the battlefield and the resilience of the resistance," Hezbollah's Media Relations Officer Mohammad Afif said in a news conference in Beirut's southern suburb.

Israel has been conducting a large-scale ground offensive in Lebanon -- primarily targeting southern Lebanon, Beirut's southern suburb, and the Bekaa Valley -- since late September, saying its goal is to dismantle Hezbollah's military capabilities.

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