South Africa welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Lebanon.
In a statement released on Wednesday, South Africa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “South Africa hopes this ceasefire will help reduce tensions in the region. We reaffirm our solidarity with the government and people of Lebanon and support the implementation of this agreement.”
Pretoria emphasized that this critical de-escalation action highlighted the primacy of diplomacy and significantly alleviated human suffering caused by indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure.
South Africa called on all parties to fully adhere to the ceasefire agreement, expressing hope for a permanent truce to end the deadly clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border that have claimed the lives of thousands of Lebanese, mostly women and children.
Gaza ceasefire
Africa’s most industrialized economy also called for a ceasefire in Gaza, reiterating its appeal to the international community to adhere to UN resolutions, international law, and international humanitarian law.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon came into effect hours after U.S. President Joe Biden announced that a proposal to end the conflict had been agreed upon. The agreement is expected to halt Israeli airstrikes on Lebanese towns and cities and put an end to the year-long cross-border clashes.
According to Lebanese health authorities, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 3,800 people since last October and displaced over one million.
