Cease-fire in Gaza wouldn’t necessarily extend to Lebanon: US envoy

By Wassim Seif El Din

BEIRUT (AA) – A senior US envoy said Monday that a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip may not halt cross-border clashes between the Israeli army and Lebanese group Hezbollah.

"Any cease-fire in Gaza will not necessarily automatically extend to Lebanon," Amos Hochstein told a press conference in Beirut following his talks with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Hochstein said he is engaged and "collaborating with international partners to secure a peaceful solution in Lebanon."

"Escalation will neither assist the Lebanese nor the Israelis in returning to their homes,” the White House envoy added.

"The United States is committed to working with the Lebanese government to end the violence that began on October 8th," Hochstein said. “Efforts are underway to reach a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and release hostages."

Hochstein arrived in the Lebanese capital early Monday for talks with Lebanese officials on the situation along Lebanon’s border with Israel, marking his second visit since Oct. 8.

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchanges of weapons fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 300 people are estimated to have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since the clashes first erupted in October of last year. Nearly 20 Israelis have also been killed, according to Israeli figures.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar