Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The top diplomats met for the final time before a new U.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce a ceasefire between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel within 36 hours under existing plans, four senior Lebanese sources said on Monday. The French presidency and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Progress on brokering a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon were foremost on the agenda of the Group of 7 meeting outside Rome.

As the G7 ministers arrived in Italy, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Mike Herzog, told Israeli Army Radio on Monday a cease-fire deal to end fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached “within days.

Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations met Monday, with the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine entering decisive phases and a certain pressure to advance diplomatic efforts ahead of the new U.