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Hezbollah Weighs US-Israeli Ceasefire Proposal Amid Escalating Conflict
Hezbollah is reviewing a ceasefire proposal from the United States and Israel, according to sources familiar with the matter. The development comes as diplomatic efforts intensify to halt hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese militant group.
US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson presented the proposal to the Lebanese government on Thursday evening, a Lebanese official confirmed. Optimism surrounds the potential agreement, with Lebanese authorities expecting Hezbollah to respond officially by Monday.
“Diplomatic efforts are on fire now,” said the official, signaling a potential breakthrough.
Escalation and Human Impact
The conflict escalated in mid-September after months of border clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The violence began when Hezbollah launched attacks in solidarity with Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza. Israel responded with a major offensive, targeting Hezbollah’s leadership and infrastructure.
The offensive has taken a heavy toll on Lebanon. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, hundreds of civilians have been killed, over a million people displaced, and critical infrastructure severely damaged. Israeli strikes have intensified in recent days, focusing on Shia-majority areas under Hezbollah’s influence but also hitting buildings housing displaced families.
On Thursday alone, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 43 people in Lebanon, including eight civil defense workers. The Civil Defense Directorate reported that an Israeli strike destroyed its headquarters in the village of Douris, near Baalbek, while workers were inside responding to relief calls.
Proposal Details
The US-Israeli proposal seeks a 60-day cessation of hostilities as a foundation for a lasting ceasefire, aligned with UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Lebanon-Israel war. The resolution mandates that armed groups south of Lebanon’s Litani River be limited to the Lebanese Army and UN peacekeeping forces.
Key provisions include the withdrawal of Israeli ground forces to positions behind internationally recognized borders and enhanced roles for the Lebanese Armed Forces in securing southern Lebanon and addressing smuggling routes.
The proposal was outlined to Lebanon’s Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, who maintains close ties to Hezbollah. It marks the first significant ceasefire initiative from the US and Israel since late September, when a temporary truce collapsed following the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike.
Political Context
The negotiations also involve US President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, although officials stress adherence to the Logan Act, which prohibits unauthorized individuals from conducting foreign policy. The Biden administration’s special envoy to Lebanon, Amos Hochstein, has been leading the diplomatic push.
US officials aim to finalize the agreement soon, with some Israeli officials advocating for a swift resolution to stabilize the region before Trump assumes office.
The US embassy in Beirut declined to comment on the negotiations. However, sources emphasize that the proposal could pave the way for a broader and more enduring resolution to the long-standing conflict.
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Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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