Qatar 'working with partners' towards immediate ceasefire in Lebanon

Qatar is working towards an immediate ceasefire between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel, its foreign ministry spokesperson said, adding that there was no direct link between these efforts and the truce negotiations in Gaza.

"I'm not aware of a direct link, but obviously both mediations are hugely overlapping when you are talking about the same parties, for the most part, that are taking part," foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told reporters.

Israel has launched a wider-scale attack on Lebanon, saying it was targeting Hezbollah, while its indiscriminate attacks have killed over 500 people, including at least 90 women and 50 children.

Meanwhile, Israel also continued its war on Gaza and months of behind-the-scenes negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States could not halt the war, which began on October 7.

Ansari said Qatar was "working with our partners" to ensure "an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon" and "work our way back from the current escalation".

"On the other track, the talks about Gaza, we continue with our efforts," he added.

The United States and allies including Qatar called on Wednesday for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon as the death toll mounts from Israeli strikes on the Iran-backed group, particularly on its strongholds in Lebanon's south.

Ansari said it was "too early" to describe a "formal mediation track" in talks between Israel and Hezbollah.

"I don't think we can now say there's a formal mediation track, rather than all channels of communication remain open," he said.

Diplomats had repeatedly said a Gaza ceasefire could help calm regional tensions, including in Lebanon, where Hezbollah said its months of strikes on Israeli targets were an act of support for Palestinians in Gaza.

But after the 21-day proposal, diplomats said the United States was no longer directly linking its struggling push for a Gaza ceasefire with Lebanon efforts due to the urgency of the Lebanon crisis.