New York, New York - The US, the European Union, and several Arab nations issued a joint call Wednesday for a 21-day "temporary ceasefire" in Lebanon after Israeli attacks on Hezbollah threatened to tip the Middle East into all-out war.

Hundreds have been killed and tens of thousands displaced since Israel launched its strikes, with the Lebanese health ministry saying that another 72 people died on Wednesday.

"It is time to conclude a diplomatic settlement that enables civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes in safety," said the joint statement issued by the US, Australia, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

"Diplomacy however cannot succeed amid an escalation of this conflict. Thus we call for an immediate 21 day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement."

Wednesday saw a flurry of diplomatic activity on the issue at the UN, which is hosting its flagship world leaders' week.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Lebanon that Paris and Washington were proposing a three-week truce "to allow for negotiations and a more sustainable ceasefire."

UN Secretary-General António Guterres had urged an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and warned "hell is breaking loose."

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The US reportedly blocked efforts by Britain and France to give the ceasefire call the official stamp of a Security Council resolution, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken eager to support Israel's line that it has a right to root out Hezbollah.

True to the form show in Gaza, where mass killing of Palestinians has been ongoing for almost a year, top Israeli officials immediately poured water on any notion of an end to assaults on Lebanon.

Backed by far-right and self-described fascists in Israel's extremist government, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday that there would "be no ceasefire in the north."

"We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organization with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes."