BEIRUT (AP) — A United States envoy said an agreement to end the Israel-Hezbollah war is “within our grasp” after talks in Lebanon on Tuesday. There was no such optimism in the Gaza Strip, where the looting of nearly 100 aid trucks by armed men worsened an already severe food crisis.

Israel has dramatically escalated its bombardment of Lebanon since September, vowing to severely weaken Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets and drones at Israel since it launched its air and ground assault on Gaza over a year ago.

European Union foreign ministers on Monday rebuffed a proposal to suspend political dialogue with Israel put forward by the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, who cited concerns about possible human rights violations in the war in Gaza.

Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski speaks during the inauguration of the American ballistic missile defence base to be integrated into the "Aegis Ashore" missile defense system, in Redzikowo,

Several EU countries on Monday blocked a proposal from top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell to "put pressure on the Israeli government" over Israel's conduct during the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

U.S. envoy Amos Hoschtein said Tuesday "a real opportunity" to end the Israel-Hezbollah conflict is "now within our grasp," but both parties need to make the decision.