Israel and Lebanon Agree to 45-Day Extension of Ceasefire

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 45-day extension of a ceasefire that has been in place since mid-April, the US State Department said on Thursday. The agreement followed two days of negotiations in Washington. The State Department said it hoped the discussions would advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border.

"We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border," said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.

Israel and Hezbollah have continued to exchange fire since then, with almost daily reports of cross-border incidents.

On Wednesday, Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli air strikes had killed 22 people, including eight children, across southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said its operations target Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure and denied accusations of targeting civilians and paramedics.

The Israeli military has said it is seeking to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to prevent future attacks by Hezbollah. In those areas, entire villages have been destroyed. Lebanon's health ministry has reported at least 2,896 people killed in the country since the conflict began.

Israeli authorities said 18 soldiers and four civilians have been killed over the same period.

The State Department said it would reconvene the political track of negotiations in June. In addition, a security track will be launched at the Pentagon on May 29 with military delegations from both countries, Pigott added. Israel's Ambassador to the US said the talks were frank and constructive.

More than one million people have been displaced across Lebanon, or one in five of the population, according to Lebanese officials. Most of those displaced are from southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut. The conflict started on March 2, two days after the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran.

Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel, prompting Israeli air strikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.