10 Foreign Ministers Urge Ceasefire in Lebanon

UN peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL) in Lebanon/ © UNIFIL

JAKARTA - The foreign ministers (menlu) of ten countries together with the Head of Foreign Policy of the European Union Kaja Kallas urged a ceasefire in Lebanon and expressed support for the territorial integrity of the country.

The joint statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

"We call on all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions and return to the cessation of hostilities agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 1701. We urge Israel to avoid further expansion of the conflict, including through ground operations in Lebanese territory. We reiterate that Lebanon's territorial integrity must be respected," the statement read, which was published by the British Foreign Office on Tuesday, March 31, as reported by ANTARA from Sputnik.

The countries also expressed concern over the forced displacement of more than 1 million people due to the conflict.

The foreign ministers also urged protection for civilians, humanitarian personnel, peacekeepers, and civilian infrastructure.

Escalation of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah has been ongoing since March 2 when the Lebanese group launched a rocket attack on Israeli territory amid the deteriorating situation in the region.

Israel then responded by launching a massive attack on Lebanon, including the country's southern region, the Beqaa Valley, and the outskirts of Beirut. On March 16, the Israeli military officially announced the launch of a ground operation in southern Lebanon.