Israel and Lebanon Agree to Direct Ceasefire Talks in Washington

Apr 11, 2026

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to hold unprecedented direct ceasefire talks in Washington on Tuesday at the US State Department, marking the first such direct negotiations in decades between the two countries that historically communicate only through intermediaries. The talks come amid fierce dispute over whether Lebanon was included in the US-Iran ceasefire declared by President Donald Trump, with Iran and Pakistan claiming it was while the US and Israel insist it was not. Fighting continues unabated, with Lebanon's health ministry reporting 357 dead and 1,223 injured from Wednesday's bombardment alone, while Israel claims to have killed at least 180 Hezbollah fighters. More than a million people have been displaced in Lebanon, creating a food security crisis as the World Food Programme struggles to deliver supplies to the south.

Israel-Lebanon Direct Ceasefire Negotiations in Washington

▪Efforts to establish negotiations between Israel and Lebanon have been ongoing since a ceasefire agreement in November 2024.
▪Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized direct talks with Lebanon following repeated requests from the Lebanese government.
▪Delegations from Israel and Lebanon will meet on Tuesday at the US State Department to discuss ceasefire conditions.
▪The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to Washington held their first call with the US ambassador to Beirut on Friday at 21:00 Beirut time.

Dispute Over Lebanon's Inclusion in US-Iran Ceasefire

▪There is fierce dispute over whether Lebanon was included in the US-Iran ceasefire declared by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
▪Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC on Thursday that Israeli strikes on Lebanon constituted a grave violation of the ceasefire.
▪Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Thursday night that there was no ceasefire in Lebanon.

Ongoing Military Strikes and Humanitarian Impact

▪Hezbollah fired rockets at Kiryat Shmona near the Israel-Lebanon border at 10:00 on Friday.
▪Israeli attacks killed seven members of the same family in the town of Abbassieh and 11 people in Zrarieh.
▪The Lebanese health ministry said the death toll from Wednesday's massive bombardment had risen to 357, with 1,223 people injured.
▪Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said 13 state security personnel had been killed by strikes on the southern city of Nabatieh on Friday.
▪The World Food Programme says delivering supplies to southern Lebanon is increasingly complex, with convoys taking 15 hours to go even short distances.
▪The Israel Defense Forces struck about 10 rocket launchers on Thursday night which the IDF said had fired on northern Israel.
▪The World Food Programme said disrupted incomes and rising prices were causing a food security crisis in Lebanon.
▪The Lebanese health ministry said the toll is still not final due to ongoing removal of rubble and the presence of a large amount of human remains requiring DNA testing.
▪The Israeli military said the wave of attacks across Lebanon had killed at least 180 Hezbollah terrorists.

Perspective of United States and Israel

▪Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Thursday night that no ceasefire existed in Lebanon.

Perspective of Lebanese government

▪Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun highlighted that 13 state security personnel were killed in Israeli strikes on Nabatieh, emphasizing attacks on government forces.
▪The Lebanese government made repeated requests to Israel for direct talks before Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the negotiations.