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Israel and Lebanon Agree to 10‑Day Ceasefire as Trump Announces Breakthrough

  Israel and Lebanon Reach 10‑Day Ceasefire Following Trump Announcement Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10‑day ceasefire set to begin at 5 p.m. EST, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, who said the truce followed “excellent conversations” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.  The ceasefire comes after more than six weeks of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran‑backed armed group operating in southern Lebanon. The conflict has resulted in over 2,000 deaths in Lebanon and displaced more than a million residents, while Israel has maintained a 10‑kilometre security zone in southern Lebanon. Trump stated that both leaders agreed to begin the truce to pursue peace, adding that he plans to invite them to the White House for the first direct talks between the two countries since 1983. Lebanese officials have welcomed the ceasefire, though Hezbollah has said its adherence depends on Israel halting all attacks....
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Blinken Embarks to Middle East for Sixth Gaza Diplomacy Push


 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to the Middle East on Wednesday for his sixth visit since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas. His mission is to facilitate discussions for a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Blinken will meet Saudi leaders in Jeddah and Egyptian leaders in Cairo to discuss talks brokered by Egypt and Qatar on an agreement, as well as efforts to get more aid into Gaza. The ongoing negotiations aim to alleviate the humanitarian crisis gripping Gaza. Additionally, Blinken will engage in conversations about arrangements for governance, security, and redevelopment in post-conflict Gaza.

The war was triggered when Hamas fighters crossed into Israel on a rampage, resulting in the loss of 1,200 lives and the capture of 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies. In response, Israel launched a retaliatory onslaught, resulting in the confirmed death of nearly 32,000 people in Hamas-run Gaza, with thousands more feared lost under the rubble.

Despite multiple visits to the U.S. ally on his previous regional swings, Blinken is not scheduled to visit Israel on this trip. Tensions have escalated between U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently rebuffed Biden’s plea to call off a planned ground assault in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

Blinken’s diplomatic efforts continue as the international community closely watches the situation unfold in the region.

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