The European Union’s top diplomat says there are “no excuses” for Israel to refuse to accept a ceasefire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The top diplomats met for the final time before a new US administration takes office with wars raging in the Mideast and Ukraine.

A joint statement of Group of Seven foreign ministers is set to avoid mentioning the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite an effort by the Italian hosts to find a common position on it.

The ICC issued arrest warrants last Thursday for Netanyahu, his former defence chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. Israel condemned the decision as shameful and absurd.