Biden advisers Hochstein, McGurk expected in Israel for Lebanon ceasefire deal

US President Joe Biden's senior advisers Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk are reportedly expected to visit Israel on Thursday to broker a ceasefire deal that would end Israel's war on Lebanon, amid rising Israeli military casualties in its ground invasion.

The reported visit comes as Israeli officials appeared doubtful that a resolution would be reached before the upcoming US elections next week, mostly due to Israel's insistence on "unrealistic" demands, which surpass the scope of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which had ended the war in 2006.

According to Axios, a ceasefire deal was being finalised to end confrontations between the Israeli military and Hezbollah "within a few weeks".

The report said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had convened a meeting with several ministers and senior leaders of the Israel Forces and the Israeli intelligence services on Tuesday night to discuss the potential deal.

Hochstein was reportedly waiting for Israeli leaders to decide whether to move forward with the deal before he travelled to Israel.

Axios cited US and Israeli sources as saying that the upcoming visit indicated that Netanyahu was in favour of pursuing a deal.

The report said that Biden's envoys were expected to meet with Netanyahu, Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant and  Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

Hochstein is expected to present a formal proposal to them for the ceasefire agreement, which he drafted after hearing both sides' positions, Axios said.

Israeli news site Walla reported on Tuesday that Israel's military goals in Lebanon "had been achieved", citing a statement by the Israeli forces. It said the Israeli government could now promote a diplomatic resolution to end the war on Lebanon.

The Israeli forces alleged that "most" of Hezbollah's infrastructure in southern Lebanon had been "destroyed". Despite the Israeli claims, Hezbollah has continued to fire barrages of rockets at Israel.

It comes amid reported fatigue among Israeli army reservists after a year into the war on Gaza, with the military reportedly struggling to recruit soldiers for its new front in Lebanon.

Israel's army admitted on Tuesday that an additional four soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza, with one officer severely injured, and another soldier had died from wounds sustained in battle in southern Lebanon. 

The latest official casualty figures bring the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since October 2023 to 777 - as per the Israeli military, which often conceals casualty counts for security purposes, to maintain morale and to manage the narrative surrounding the conflict.

Hezbollah claimed that at least 70 Israeli soldiers were killed and 600 more wounded in ground operations and cross-border attacks. The group also claimed it had destroyed 28 Merkava tanks, four military bulldozers and, one armoured vehicle and one troop carrier. It also claimed it had downed four Hermes drones.

Israel's defence minister made a plea to Israel's ultra-Orthodox community this week, urging them to enlist in the army.

"We need more soldiers, we need more fighters," Gallant said. "We have more open fronts, more injured soldiers and to my sorrow, more fallen soldiers."