Hochstein 'suspends his mission' as Gaza talks collapse

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein has suspended his mission and decided to return to his country, while also recalling the aide whom he had kept in Beirut for further talks, after the Gaza truce negotiations reached a dead end, official sources said.

The U.S. envoy “will not return except after a truce is declared, because he did not obtain an answer as to whether the resistance (Hezbollah) will halt its operations should Israel declare a unilateral truce or should a U.N. Security Council resolution be issued in this regard,” the sources told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Friday.

“Hochstein’s initiative practically collapsed with the news about the collapse of the Cairo negotiations,” informed sources said.

“The initiative is mainly aimed at returning settlers to the north of occupied Palestine, while the rest of the terms, such as the army’s deployment and other issues, are unnecessary,” the sources added.

Hezbollah has targeted Israeli positions across the border almost daily since an October 7 attack by its Palestinian ally Hamas triggered war with Israel. Israeli forces have responded with strikes against Hezbollah positions as well as targeted operations against senior officials.

The border clashes since October have killed at least 303 people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but including 50 civilians. On the Israeli side, 10 soldiers and seven civilians have been killed according to the Israeli army.