Press release issued by SOS Chrétiens d’Orient: The long-awaited ceasefire in Lebanon.

27 November 2024

The long-awaited ceasefire.

A ceasefire in Lebanon came into effect on the night of 27 November, more than two months after Israel launched its strikes on Lebanon. SOS Chrétiens d’Orient, working on site alongside the Lebanese people, is delighted with this agreement.

Benjamin Blanchard, Director General of SOSCO, is pleased with the cessation of bombing and fighting: ‘Every day of this war has been an extra weight on the shoulders of the Lebanese people. Every bomb that exploded and every rocket that was fired, were sinking the country deeper and deeper.’ The toll is heartbreaking for an already overstretched country, with more than 3,500 people were killed and 15,000 injured, an estimated US$40 billion in material damage, 100.000 homes destroyed by shelling and fighting, and 1.2 million people displaced.

Over the past month and a half, SOSCO has allocated significant financial and material support to respond to the emergency in Lebanon, establishing two mobile clinics in cooperation with the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs and distributing first aid to the displaced.

Mr Blanchard adds: ‘Today, the precarious ceasefire must bear fruit in order to reach a sustainable peace through the following points:

• Respect for the ceasefire by all parties.
• The return of the displaced population from south Lebanon to their towns and villages as soon as possible.
• Full respect for Lebanese sovereignty and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.
• The deployment of the Lebanese Army in southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah in the south of Litani River area.’

SOS Chrétiens d’Orient continues to work alongside the Lebanese thanks to the support of its donors.

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