EU Commission chief welcomes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, urges path to permanent peace

By Melike Pala

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday welcomed the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, stressing that a "path to permanent peace" is needed.

"I welcome the announced 10 day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by President Trump," von der Leyen said in a post on US social media platform X.

She described the temporary truce as "a relief," noting that the conflict has already claimed too many lives.

"Now, we need not just a temporary pause, but a path to permanent peace. Europe will continue to call for the full respect of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," she added.

Von der Leyen reaffirmed the European Union's support for Lebanon, saying that the bloc will keep supporting the Lebanese people through substantial humanitarian aid.

Earlier Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon agreed to begin a 10-day ceasefire starting at 5 pm EST (2100GMT).

The announcement followed US-mediated talks between Lebanese and Israeli delegations that took place on Tuesday at the State Department in Washington, DC. The Lebanese group Hezbollah was not represented in the meeting and has rejected the move.