US Envoys in Middle East Push for Immediate Ceasefire Amid Continuing Violence in Lebanon and Israel

The situation in Lebanon is deteriorating, with Israeli attacks killing 45 people in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to at least 2,200 since the conflict escalated five weeks ago. The Lebanese caretaker prime minister expresses pessimism about the prospects for a ceasefire, citing Israel's "ongoing escalation" in the country. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reports that the negotiators have made "good progress" in talks with Israeli officials to broker a ceasefire with Hezbollah. Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein, the US negotiators, are holding talks with Israeli authorities in Israel.