BEIRUT, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Direct negotiations are at a sensitive and pivotal stage, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Friday, stressing the need for a unified national stance.

Aoun made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of Beirut lawmakers, describing the current phase as critical and requiring consolidated national responsibility, according to a statement released by the Lebanese presidency.

This photo taken on April 9, 2026 shows a building destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Beirut, Lebanon. (Photo: Bilal Jawich/Xinhua)

Aoun said the Lebanese state's priorities focus on consolidating the ceasefire, ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied southern territories, securing the return of detainees, and resolving outstanding border disputes.

The president emphasized that the ceasefire remains the key gateway to advancing negotiations, noting it has garnered both domestic and international support.

Aoun added that the Lebanese army will assume a central role following any Israeli withdrawal, including deploying up to the internationally recognized southern border, ending the presence of armed groups, and reassuring residents returning to their towns and villages.

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time (2100 GMT), following an earlier announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump. The truce aims to end more than a month of deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed over 2,000 lives.