The United States and several of its allies have called for a 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border as they work to prevent a regional war from erupting and to jolt stalled hostage talks between Israel and Hamas.
The proposal, described by one senior US official as an “important breakthrough,” comes amid deadly fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that many fear could spill into a wider conflict.
Hoping to prevent such an outcome, diplomats and leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly spent the last 48 hours hurriedly working to secure a plan that would pause the fighting and allow room for diplomacy to take hold.
Israel and Hezbollah have yet to agree. But US officials said both parties were “familiar” with the contours of the proposal and voiced optimism the moment was right for it to be revealed publicly.
President Joe Biden said the plan had been endorsed by the United States, Australia, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
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