At 3:30 a.m. in the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a ceasefire.
In the same speech, he called on Hamas to release the hostages held in the Gaza Strip, and said that a ceasefire is needed there as well because “the people of Gaza have “been through hell.”
Leaders of the international community issued similar statements.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that this “long overdue ceasefire” will provide “some measure of relief to the civilian populations of Lebanon and Northern Israel, who have suffered unimaginable consequences during the last few months of devastating conflict and bloodshed.”
He added that the deal “must be turned into a lasting political solution in Lebanon,” and that the it must “allow civilians to return permanently to their homes and for communities on both sides of the border to rebuild.”
Starmer ended his statement by calling for “immediate progress towards a ceasefire deal in Gaza, the release of all hostages and the removal of restrictions on desperately needed humanitarian aid.”
Irish Deputy Prime Minister Micheál Martin also welcomed the truce, saying that “both sides must use the ceasefire to engage meaningfully to achieve a durable peace. There must be a massive surge of humanitarian aid and assistance, along with progress towards a lasting political settlement and reconstruction and recovery for Lebanon.”
He continued, “We also need to see communities on both sides of the Blue Line return to their homes in safety, and the security of UNIFIL peacekeepers serving in the region respected.”
Martin added that “a ceasefire in Lebanon highlights the urgent need for the violence in Gaza to stop. There must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and a massive scale-up of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.”
Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib wrote that “the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon is a crucial step towards stopping the escalation in the Middle East. We call for a ceasefire in the whole region, including Gaza. Only resuming negotiations for a 2-state solution can bring peace. Civilians must be protected.”
