The Israeli prime minister gave a televised speech late Saturday in which he said that the Lebanese government had approached Israel and expressed a willingness to negotiate.
"In the last month, Lebanon has come to us several times and wanted to start peace talks. I have given my approval, but on two conditions: we want Hezbollah to disarm and we want to see a peace that lasts for generations," Netanyahu said.
The televised speech was given as talks between Iran and the United States opened in Islamabad, Pakistan. One of the issues raised there was the Iranian demand that Israel stop its attacks on Lebanon - something Israel has repeatedly rejected.
The Israeli government insists that the influence of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon must be minimized before an agreement can be reached.
But the death toll from the intense Israeli airstrikes and the broad ground offensive continues to rise. Lebanon's health authority said on Saturday that 2,020 people have been killed since the beginning of March. Among the victims are 165 children and 85 health workers. More than 6,400 people have been injured.
Over the past 24 hours, around 100 people have been killed, according to the health authority.
