President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has welcomed the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, saying “this is a relief, as this conflict has already claimed far too many lives”.

“Now, we need not just a temporary pause, but a path to permanent peace,” she has said in a social media post.

She adds that Europe will “continue to call for the full respect of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. And we will keep supporting the Lebanese people through substantial humanitarian aid.”