EU condemns Israeli strikes on Lebanon, says diplomacy only path forward

The European Union (EU) on Sunday strongly condemned Israel's recent strikes on Lebanon, calling for an immediate halt to the attacks and stressing that diplomacy remains the only viable path to resolving the crisis, reported Xinhua.

In a written reply to Xinhua, EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said the strikes had resulted in heavy civilian casualties and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.

He described the attacks as "a very serious escalation" and "an unacceptable threat" to civilian lives and regional stability.

"The EU demands an immediate end to the attacks," El Anouni said, emphasizing that the ongoing violence has taken a severe toll on civilians and essential infrastructure.

He urged all parties to fully comply with international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, civilian facilities, UN peacekeepers, and humanitarian personnel.

At the same time, El Anouni welcomed Israel's announcement of planned talks with Lebanon, calling it "a positive development." He said the EU looks forward to the "concrete start of the talks and their outcomes."

"Diplomacy remains the only viable path forward," he said, urging all sides to engage constructively and in good faith to reach a comprehensive solution in line with relevant UN resolutions.

According to the Lebanese presidency, Lebanon and Israel agreed on Friday to hold an initial meeting next Tuesday in the United States to discuss a ceasefire and set a timeline for negotiations.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's Health Ministry said Saturday that Israeli strikes during the latest round of fighting have killed 2,020 people and injured 6,436 others.