Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States began U.S.-mediated direct negotiations in Washington, D.C., on April 14, marking the first direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials since 1993, AP reported the same day. The talks will focus on a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, disarming Hezbollah and potentially reaching a peace agreement, though U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that the negotiations were a "process, not an event."