By Gloria Ogbonna
The Lebanese government has intensified efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel Defense Forces operations and Hezbollah militants this week, warning that the ongoing fighting is creating a severe humanitarian crisis across southern Lebanon.
Officials in Beirut say the conflict has forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes, leaving many without shelter, food, or essential services.
At the center of the diplomatic push is Joseph Aoun, the president of Lebanon, who unveiled a four-point proposal aimed at ending the escalating violence with Israel. The plan includes an immediate and complete ceasefire, increased logistical and military support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, efforts to disarm Hezbollah fighters, and the launch of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under international supervision.
One of the most striking aspects of Aoun’s proposal is the call for direct negotiations with Israel—something that has historically been politically sensitive and often considered unacceptable among many Lebanese leaders due to decades of hostility between the two countries. Despite that history, Aoun signaled that the severity of the current crisis may require unprecedented diplomatic steps.
In a strongly worded address, Aoun sharply criticized Hezbollah’s recent military actions against Israel. He described the group’s attack as “a trap” and warned that it had placed Lebanon and its citizens in grave danger.
According to the president, Hezbollah’s actions—backed by its ally Iran—are pushing Lebanon toward instability while prioritizing Tehran’s regional agenda over the safety and interests of the Lebanese people.
He argued that the Iran-backed group was willing to sacrifice Lebanon’s security and infrastructure in order to advance strategic calculations that serve Iranian interests.
“The cost is devastating,” Aoun said, pointing to the destruction of numerous villages and the displacement of vast numbers of civilians.
Lebanese authorities estimate that more than 700,000 people have been displaced since the fighting intensified, including roughly 200,000 children. Many of these families have fled their homes in southern Lebanon and are now scattered across roadsides, schools, and temporary shelters.
Aoun warned that the scale of the displacement is overwhelming the country’s already fragile resources.
“Some of them are on the roads,” he said. “They have no shelter and not even the most basic necessities of life.”
The president’s unusually harsh criticism of Hezbollah is significant because the group is not only a powerful militant organization but also a major political force within Lebanon’s government and parliament.
Aoun openly condemned Hezbollah as an “armed faction” that has ignored Lebanon’s national interests and endangered its citizens by dragging the country into conflict.
He also voiced support for several Arab nations—including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—which he said have also faced hostile actions from Iran.
Despite the Lebanese president’s diplomatic outreach, Israeli leaders have shown little enthusiasm for the ceasefire proposal. Officials in Jerusalem say they doubt whether Lebanon’s government has either the ability or the political will to disarm Hezbollah.
Israeli officials argue that Beirut failed to enforce the terms of a previous ceasefire agreement reached in 2024, which was supposed to limit Hezbollah’s military presence near Israel’s northern border. The fact that Hezbollah was able to launch large rocket barrages at Israel this week, they say, demonstrates that those commitments were not fulfilled.
In response to the ongoing hostilities, Lebanon has reportedly reached out to both the United States and European governments in hopes of persuading Israel to reconsider the ceasefire plan.
There were also suggestions that Washington could help sponsor negotiations, while the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus offered to host potential peace talks.
However, Israeli leaders once again rejected the proposal, arguing that Lebanon had not presented any concrete plan to dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities.
According to sources cited by the Financial Times and regional media, Israeli and American officials believe the Lebanese government currently lacks credibility when it comes to addressing the Hezbollah threat.
Gideon Saar, Israel’s foreign minister, said the central problem is that discussions with the Lebanese government cannot stop the attacks coming from Lebanese territory.
“The current problem is that dialogue with the Lebanese government cannot stop the fire from Lebanon,” Saar said during a recent interview.
While Israel has not completely ruled out negotiations, officials indicated that talks would likely take place while military operations continue.
In other words, Israel intends to maintain pressure on Hezbollah through ongoing strikes and military operations even as diplomatic discussions occur.
Israeli leaders have suggested that their campaign against Hezbollah may continue for an extended period, possibly even after broader regional tensions involving Iran subside.
The conflict escalated further on Thursday when Israeli airstrikes hit central Beirut, marking one of the most significant expansions of the military campaign so far. In response, Hezbollah launched another large volley of rockets toward Israel late Wednesday night.
With violence intensifying and humanitarian concerns mounting, Lebanon’s leadership is now racing to secure international support for a ceasefire before the crisis deepens further. However, with Israel skeptical of Lebanon’s ability to curb Hezbollah’s power, the path toward a lasting truce remains highly uncertain.
Source Breitbrat
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