Netanyahu rejects international call for immediate 21-day ceasefire across Israel-Lebanon border

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has poured cold water on the prospects of a ceasefire at the Israel-Lebanon border, with his office releasing a statement denying reports a deal is imminent and saying he had instructed the Israeli military to “continue fighting with full force”.

It came after Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz rejected a proposed immediate 21-day ceasefire put forth on Thursday by a group of countries led by the United States and France, who said a pause in hostilities between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group would provide space for diplomacy.

“There will be no ceasefire in the north. We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” Mr Katz wrote on X.

The Israeli response dashed international hopes for a peaceful settlement, after Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati earlier threw his support behind the US-French proposal, which he said “would put an end to this dirty war”.

Citing the plan’s international support — with a host of other nations including Australia signing on to the proposal — Mr Mikati called on the UN Security Council “to guarantee the withdrawal of Israel from all the occupied Lebanese territories and the violations that are repeated on a daily basis”.