Qatar says there is no formal negotiation path for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah for now

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September 26 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Qatar’s government said Thursday that no formal negotiation path has been established for a possible ceasefire between Israel and the Shiite militia-party Hezbollah, after the United States and France raised the possibility of a 21-day truce on Wednesday.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Mayed al Ansari said during a press conference that there is no “formal” mediation at the moment and that a mediation channel similar to the one in the Gaza Strip has not yet been established.

He also stressed that Doha has no evidence of a “direct link” between the two proposals, referring to the possible link for a simultaneous ceasefire in both zones, according to the Qatari television channel Al Jazeera.

Qatar is mediating with the United States and Egypt a ceasefire in Gaza following the military offensive unleashed by Israel after the attacks carried out on October 7 by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and other Palestinian factions.

Al Ansari’s comments come after Washington and Paris on Wednesday called for a “temporary” 21-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah in the hope of “a diplomatic agreement” to “avoid further escalation on both sides of the border,” a proposal that has received the support of the European Union and several countries, including several Arab states.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday denied reports of a possible truce and stressed that he had ordered the army to continue “with all its might” operations against the neighbouring country.