Jerusalem, Sep 26 (EFE).- The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday brushed aside news of a possible 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon and stressed the fighting will continue.
“The news about a ceasefire is incorrect. This is an American-French proposal that the prime minister has not even responded to,” read a statement referring to the proposal for a truce by the United States and its allied countries.
The US and France, along with countries such as Canada and Germany, issued a joint statement Wednesday calling for a 21-day ceasefire on the Israel-Lebanon border, which could help negotiations for the release of hostages and a truce in Gaza.
In this regard, Netanyahu’s office said Thursday that the prime minister instructed the Armed Forces to continue the fighting in full force and in accordance with the plans presented to him.
Moreover, in reference to the war in the Gaza Strip, following which Hezbollah initiated its attacks on northern Israel on Oct. 8, the statement reiterated that Israel would only end it after achieving all its objectives.
This official statement comes after both Israeli and foreign media echoed the proposal for a truce announced by the White House, even suggesting, according to anonymous US officials, that the truce would be announced soon.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted on social media platform X that there would be no ceasefire in the north, and they would continue to fight against Hezbollah until they emerged victorious.
Netanyahu is to address the United Nations General Assembly on Friday during which he is expected to focus on the threat of Hezbollah, Iran, and the alleged Israeli right to “self-defense.”
Israeli airstrikes, launched on Monday against several regions of southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as the southern suburbs of Beirut and towns further north of the capital, have already caused more than 600 deaths and thousands of injuries, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. EFE
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