US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told Israel that further escalation to the conflict involving Lebanon will only make it harder for civilians to return home on both sides of the border, Reuters quotes the State Department as saying.

Despite Israel’s rejection of a ceasefire with Hezbollah, the US and France sought to keep prospects alive for an immediate 21-day truce they proposed on Wednesday, and said negotiations continued, including on the sidelines of a United Nations meeting in New York.

“The Secretary discussed the importance of reaching an agreement on the 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border,” the State Department said in a statement referring to talks between Blinken and Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.

“He underscored that further escalation of the conflict will only make that objective (of civilian return) more difficult.”