Fifteen European foreign ministers, including those from Belgium, Ireland, Spain and Italy, have issued a joint statement saying they are “appalled” at the escalating conflict in Lebanon and its humanitarian toll, Al Jazeera reports.

They note that “there are already 1.2 million internally displaced persons, representing some 25 per cent of the overall population”.

“More than 1000 people have been killed so far, most of them civilians, including children, aid workers and journalists, according to the Health Ministry of Lebanon,” they have said.

The ministers have also slammed the “decision by Hezbollah to attack Israel in support of Iran” and demanded that Hezbollah must immediately cease “all hostile actions against Israel and disarm”, in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.