“We are beginning a diplomatic process in parallel to the military operations, which shall continue,” Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Foreign Minister, said after talks with a United Nations delegation.

“The diplomatic process is not intended to reduce the time available for the Israel Defence Forces’ operations, but as an extension of it in order to avoid the need for additional operations in the future.”

Israeli political and military leaders are careful to put no time limits on their artillery and aerial bombardment of Lebanon, which killed at least 31 people yesterday. This brings Lebanon’s death toll to about 240, mostly civilians. An Israeli was also killed in Nahariya by Hezbollah Katyusha rockets, raising the Israeli toll to 25.

Ms Livni’s remarks offered the first hope of a negotiated end to the crisis. Israel apparently wants to inflict enough damage on Hezbollah to allow Lebanon’s weak army to take control of the border area, avoiding the need for a high-risk Israeli ground invasion.

Ms Livni also signalled an apparent softening of her Government’s initial opposition to the idea of the UN deploying an international stabilisation force in southern Lebanon. Securing that region required “activity by the Lebanese Government with the oversight [and] assistance of the international community”, she said.

Major General Udi Adam, head of Israel’s Northern Command, said that the campaign could continue for some time. “I think that we should assume that it will take a few more weeks,” he said.

Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, tried to assure Israel that the new force would be much stronger than the 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon, which has failed to disarm or restrain Hezbollah. The role of the force would not be to disarm Hezbollah, but to “give the Government of Lebanon time to . . . organise and prepare to eventually extend its authority throughout the territory, including the south”. Mr Annan is to present proposals to the Security Council tomorrow. José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, gave the idea his backing.

Tony Blair, another eager advocate of an international stabilisation force, emphasised in the Commons that it would not fight its way in and would have to await a ceasefire.

The United States remains sceptical, however. “It’s not an idea we’re supporting at this juncture,” a State Department spokesman said. “Our approach is focused on promoting a ceasefire . . . Once that is achieved we can explore other options to promote long-term stability.” Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, will hold discussions with Mr Annan tomorrow and is expected to travel to the Middle East on Friday. Señor Solana and Russia’s Middle East envoy will also visit the region this week.

Avi Dichter, the Israeli Public Security Minister, has also fuelled hopes of a political solution, by floating the possibility of prisoner swaps to free the two Israeli soldiers. “If one of the ways to bring home the soldiers will be negotiations on the possibility of releasing Lebanese prisoners, I think the day will come when we will also have to consider this,” he said.

THE CRISIS

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