Each Day that Passes Only Deepens Misery, Suffering of Lebanon’s People, Secretary-General Tells Conference, Urging Ceasefire, Hostage Release

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty, in Paris today:

Monsieur le President, excellencies, friends of Lebanon,

I welcome this initiative by [France] President [Emmanuel] Macron and underscore our commitment to realizing the aims of this conference and supporting the people of Lebanon.

We do so in the context of a region that is reeling, and Lebanon in utter turmoil.

The past year has brought daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line.

We are gravely concerned about the safety and well-being of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line — but we must recognize that the conflict has recently taken on an entirely different nature and scale.

Each day that passes only deepens the misery and suffering of people in Lebanon.

Since last October, over 2,300 people have been killed in Lebanon, and at least 50 in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan.

More than half of the deaths in Lebanon have occurred since the dramatic escalation in Israeli strikes on 23 September.

Many of those killed were children and women.  More than 1.2 million people have been displaced or affected in Lebanon.  And in the last year, more than 60,000 have been displaced in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan.

We see continued intense aerial bombardment by Israel in densely populated areas in Lebanon — including Beirut — and ground incursions across the Blue Line … as well as ongoing missile, drone and rocket attacks by Hizbullah into Israel.

An immediate ceasefire is needed now — along with meaningful steps towards full implementation of Security Council resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).

The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected.

Civilians must be protected.

Civilian infrastructure must not be targeted.

Obligations under international law must be upheld.

I urge friends of Lebanon to support the ongoing humanitarian response efforts, including by providing rapid funding of the Lebanon Flash Appeal.

I call on Lebanon’s leaders to take resolute steps towards ensuring fully functional State institutions to address the country’s pressing political and security challenges.

And I encourage partners to strengthen their support for those State institutions, including the Lebanese Armed Forces, which are a vital part of a secure — and peaceful — path forward.

I salute the brave women and men of our peacekeeping force in Lebanon — UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) — and the UN family across the country, who are striving to implement their mandates in such challenging conditions. 

Let me be clear:  Attacks against UN peacekeepers are completely unacceptable.

They are in breach of international law, against international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime.

I also pay tribute to humanitarian workers working to help communities in dire need.

Excellencies, we know what is happening in Lebanon today is not an isolated phenomenon.

We had the abhorrent terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October and the taking of hostages.

Since then, Israeli military operations in Gaza have caused death and destruction at a speed and scale beyond anything in my years as Secretary-General.

We have seen the impacts from Syria to Iraq to Yemen.

Now we see the growing threat of a major conflagration between Israel and Iran that would upend the entire region.

We need a ceasefire in Lebanon — as we need a ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate release of all hostages.

Escalation after escalation is leading to the unimaginable for the people of the region — including the people of Lebanon for whom we have all come together today.

Let us show our solidarity with action to ease the suffering and push for peace.

Thank you.