Hezbollah is hindering efforts aimed at defusing tensions on the Lebanese-Israeli border by insisting on not halting fire unless Israel’s war on Gaza stops, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“The jump-start of negotiations is not there precisely because Hezbollah wants to connect a cease-fire in the north with a cease-fire in Gaza, and the Israelis are saying no. So that’s the main obstacle down the road,” a French diplomatic official told the newspaper.

The diplomat added that France is now asking for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza to create a favorable climate for the negotiation process.

France had announced that is actively engaging in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border.