Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he has instructed his

This directive was delivered on Thursday, a day after a large-scale Israeli attack killed 303 people in Lebanon—an incident described by Beirut residents as the “Black Wednesday massacre.”

“In response to repeated requests from Lebanon to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to begin such talks as soon as possible,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

He added that the negotiations would focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon.

The talks will be led by Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter.

It has not yet been confirmed who will head the Lebanese delegation, although several local media reports suggest it could be Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington, Nada Mouawad, or former ambassador Simon Karam.

Israel has stated that it will not halt its ongoing bombardment of Lebanon during any potential negotiations, with a Zionist official saying the talks would take place “under fire.”

Meanwhile, Beirut has called for a ceasefire to be implemented before any negotiations can begin.

A U.S. official said on Thursday that Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold talks next week in Washington.

“We can confirm that the State Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations involving Israel and Lebanon,” the official said, confirming earlier reports from sources familiar with the diplomatic efforts.

The talks are expected to occur shortly after the United States and Iran opened discussions in Pakistan, following their agreement to a two-week ceasefire. Pakistan and Iran stated that the ceasefire would cover all regions, including Lebanon, but both Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump denied this claim.

An official Lebanese source told The New Arab that the initial meeting in Washington would be preparatory in nature and would initially take place at the ambassadorial level.

The source also noted that Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is preparing to visit the United States as part of ongoing efforts to reach a resolution.

Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad stated on Thursday that the group rejects direct negotiations with Israel and emphasized that the Lebanese government must demand a ceasefire as a prerequisite before taking further steps.

Fayyad also stressed that the Lebanese government should prioritize the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the return of displaced people to their homes.

Massacre of 303 People on Black Wednesday

Direct negotiations would mark an unprecedented step for the two countries, which have never had formal diplomatic relations throughout Israel’s 78-year history.

Previous attempts by Lebanese officials to initiate negotiations were rejected by Israel, which has demanded that the Lebanese government forcibly disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah as a precondition for peace talks.

About an hour before Netanyahu’s statement was released, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that direct negotiations with Israel were the “only solution” to the challenges facing his country.

This came a day after Israeli warplanes killed 303 people across Lebanon in the heaviest bombardment during the six-week war with Hezbollah, targeting densely populated civilian areas, including Beirut.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Health confirmed that the death toll from Wednesday’s Israeli strikes across the country had reached 303, with 1,150 people injured.

In a statement, the ministry’s Emergency Operations Center said that search and rescue operations were still ongoing at several sites, with authorities working to recover bodies from the rubble and identify victims, including through DNA testing.

The ministry added that since March 2, the total number of casualties from Israeli attacks in Lebanon has risen to 1,888 deaths and 6,092 injuries.