CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: DR. KHALID MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

Views /Editorial

Lebanon truce a welcome step

Published: 28 Nov 2024 - 11:16 am | Last Updated: 28 Nov 2024 - 11:16 am

The fierce fighting between Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel and the latter’s intense shelling of parts of Lebanon have finally come to a halt after a ceasefire announced by US President Joe Biden. Cross-border hostilities, especially the Israeli airstrikes in recent weeks, have wreaked havoc in parts of Beirut and southern Lebanon, killing at least 3,823 people in Lebanon and displacing hundreds of thousands. The ceasefire is indeed a welcome step that would alleviate the suffering of the Labanese people. Regional and global capitals has welcomed the step and pressed for the need to also achieve ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where Israel continues to launch deadly airstrikes. The State of Qatar has also welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, expressing hope that it will lead to a similar accord to end the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and the Israeli attacks on the occupied West Bank. Qatar has reaffirmed its steadfast position towards Lebanon, its unity, and territorial integrity, and its continuous support for its brotherly people. Doha has also lauded efforts by the United States and France towards the truce agreement in Lebanon. Qatar has stood by Lebanon throughout the crisis and established an air bridge to deliver humanitarian assistance to those in need in Lebanon. Qatari Amiri Air Force has flown a number of flights to deliver aid for the people of Lebanon. Reacting to the development in Lebanon, a senior official in the Palestinian group Hamas has said the group was ready to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and had informed the mediators of its willingness for an agreement to cease fire and exchange prisoners. The Palestinian Authority also expressed hope that the ceasefire would bring stability to the region, especially in war-torn Gaza. Gulf Cooperation Council has also welcomed the ceasefire in Lebanon and hoped that the agreement would constitute a serious step towards ending the war in Lebanon, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Lebanese territory, the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and the return of displaced persons to their homes. In its statement Jordan welcomed the ceasefire and said it must be followed by an international effort to end the aggression against the Gaza Strip and Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank. Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Iraq and other countries have also welcomed the development in Lebanon. The global community must seize this opportunity to press both the parties for a ceasefire in Gaza, where 14 months of Israeli military campaign has left at least 44,282 people dead and another 104,880 people injured.