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UN Chief Welcomes 45-Day Extension of Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the 45-day extension of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. He urged all actors to fully respect the cessation of hostilities and comply with international humanitarian law. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah retaliated with attacks on Israeli positions. The two countries will resume political negotiations at the US State Department on June 2-3, with security talks at the Pentagon on May 29.

Key Points: UN Chief Welcomes Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire Extension

  • UN welcomes 45-day extension of Lebanon-Israel ceasefire
  • Guterres urges full compliance with international law
  • Talks to resume at US State Dept on June 2-3
  • Clashes continue despite ceasefire, with 9 killed in Israeli strikes
2 min read

UN chief welcomes extension of Lebanon-Israel ceasefire

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the 45-day extension of the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire, urging all actors to cease attacks and comply with international law.

"The secretary-general urges all actors to fully respect the cessation of hostilities, cease any further attacks and comply with their obligations under international law - UN Press Office"

United Nations, May 17

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement of a 45-day extension of the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel, said his press office.

Guterres reaffirmed the support of the world body to all efforts to end hostilities and alleviate the suffering of communities on both sides of the Blue Line, a border demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel established by the United Nations in 2000, said the press office in a note to correspondents, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The secretary-general urges all actors to fully respect the cessation of hostilities, cease any further attacks and comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, at all times," said the press office.

The United Nations is committed to supporting all diplomatic efforts to advance the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which is intended to resolve the 2006 Lebanon War fought between Hezbollah and Israel, it said.

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 45-day extension of their ceasefire that took effect last month, a spokesperson for the US State Department said.

"The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said on X on Friday (local time).

Israel and Lebanon will resume political negotiations at the US State Department on June 2-3, while their military delegates are set to launch parallel security talks at the Pentagon on May 29, Piggott said.

The two countries held their third round of direct talks here on Thursday and Friday, which Piggott described as "highly productive."

Despite the ceasefire, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon have continued. Israeli strikes killed at least nine people and wounded dozens in southern Lebanon on Friday.

Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli drones, troops, military bulldozers, and a Merkava tank in several areas of southern Lebanon.

Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center said that Israeli attacks between March 2 and May 15 killed 2,951 people and wounded 8,988 others.

During the talks, Israel was represented by its ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, and senior security officials, while Lebanon's delegation included its ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, and former Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Simon Karam.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
As an Indian, I'm relieved the ceasefire is extended, but the numbers are heart-breaking – nearly 3,000 dead and 9,000 wounded. This is a humanitarian crisis that reminds me of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The international community must do more than just 'welcome' extensions; they need to enforce peace. The constant shelling is destroying families, just like in Kashmir.
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Vikram M
While I appreciate the UN's efforts, I'm skeptical. How many times have we seen ceasefires between Israel and Hezbollah fail? It reminds me of the India-Pakistan LoC ceasefires that often collapse after a few months. The key is trust, and neither side seems to have it. But if the US is mediating, maybe there's a chance. Let's hope this 45-day extension leads to something more permanent.
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Ananya R
The Blue Line demarcation is a clever idea, but in practice, it's just a line on paper. India has similar issues with the LOC and the actual ground situation is always messy. The ceasefire extension is welcome, but the fact that Israeli strikes killed nine people *during* the ceasefire shows the gaps. The UN should deploy more peacekeepers or monitors to ensure compliance.
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Rohit P
From an Indian perspective, this whole situation is a mess. I feel for the civilians on both sides. Our own history with cross-border terrorism makes me wary of Hezbollah's tactics, but Israel's disproportionate response is also troubling. The US-brokered talks are promising, but India should share its experience of managing the LOC with the UN to help stabilize this region.
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Kavya N

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