The United Nations's Middle East envoy said Thursday that little progress has been made in talks with Hezbollah over the two Israel Defense Forces soldiers whose abduction exactly a year ago triggered the Second Lebanon War.

"I'm distressed as we mark that anniversary that we have not been able to make substantial progress," Michael Williams said.

"We continue to talk to Hezbollah about it. But I regret that not only have we been unable to expedite the release of the two soldiers, but we have not been able to obtain proof of life," he added.

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IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were captured in a cross-border Hezbollah raid on July 12, 2006, triggering the 34-day war.

An internal Israeli probe concluded the two soldiers were seriously wounded during their capture and at least one of them could now be dead.

A rally for the two abducted soldiers was planned later Thursday in the northern city of Haifa.

Hezbollah has ignored a United Nations call for the immediate release of the soldiers and said Israel must first free Lebanese prisoners and possibly others held in its jails.

Williams said that the UN has held many, many meetings with Hezbollah representatives, but that no progress has been made.

"It causes me pain to report to you that those negotiations have not so far met with success," he told Israel Radio, calling on Hezbollah to give an indication on the conditions of the men.