France and US to propose a 21-day ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah

French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot told the UN Security Council that France and the United States made important progress on their proposal for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Barrot said that they “are counting on both parties to accept it without delay, in order to protect civilian populations and allow for diplomatic negotiations to begin.”

It comes amid fears of further escalation between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group that appears to be pushing the Middle East closer to an full-fledged war.

Earlier on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US was “intensely engaged with a number of partners to deescalate tensions in Lebanon and to work to get a cease-fire agreement that would have so many benefits for all concerned.”

The US hopes that the ceasefire could lead to longer-term stability in the region.

An anonymous Israeli official said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was open to the potential deal, but supposedly only if it includes the return of Israeli civilians to their homes.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati threw his support behind the French-US plan and called on the Security Council “to guarantee the withdrawal of Israel from all the occupied Lebanese territories and the violations that are repeated on a daily basis.”