The head of an American organisation focused on hostage releases said on Monday he believes U.S. journalist Austin Tice was still being held in Syria by people loyal to toppled leader Bashar al-Assad.

Nawaf Salam, the head of the International Court of Justice, was named Monday as Lebanon's new Prime Minister after he won the support of 84 parliamentarians in another blow to the once powerful Hezbollah.

Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday his hands were "extended to everyone", in a gesture to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group that accused opponents of seeking to exclude it by nominating him for the post.

Technocrat and international jurist Nawaf Salam won the job just days after Lebanon named a president for the first time in two years.

Lebanon's Prime Minister-desgnate Nawaf Salam began non-binding parliamentary consultations on Wednesday to form his government, in discussions pivotal to the country's path forward. The talks are a preliminary step towards the establishment of an administration capable of addressing the myriad challenges facing Lebanon,