Lebanon Welcomes Call for More Talks between Israel and Hamas

Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, August 9, 2024. (Reuters)
Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, August 9, 2024. (Reuters)
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Lebanon Welcomes Call for More Talks between Israel and Hamas

Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, August 9, 2024. (Reuters)
Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, August 9, 2024. (Reuters)

Lebanon’s caretaker government has welcomed the call by the US, Egypt and Qatar for Israel and Hamas to return to stalled talks, saying this reflects Beirut’s vision for de-escalation in the region.

The government said in a statement Friday that “it is necessary to put an end to the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

The Lebanese government added that pressure should be put on Israel, saying it's the only side that is escalating the situation and putting obstacles to block the reaching of a deal.

There was no comment from the armed Hezbollah group that has been attacking Israeli military posts since early October. Hezbollah has said that it will only stop firing toward Israel once the war in Gaza comes to an end.



Lufthansa Extends Beirut Flight Suspension until October 15

The Lufthansa group, whose carriers also include SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, has not flown to Beirut since late July (File photo by Reuters)
The Lufthansa group, whose carriers also include SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, has not flown to Beirut since late July (File photo by Reuters)
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Lufthansa Extends Beirut Flight Suspension until October 15

The Lufthansa group, whose carriers also include SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, has not flown to Beirut since late July (File photo by Reuters)
The Lufthansa group, whose carriers also include SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, has not flown to Beirut since late July (File photo by Reuters)

German airline group Lufthansa said Thursday it was extending a suspension of flights to Lebanese capital Beirut until October 15 due to heightened regional tensions.

Services to Beirut had previously been suspended until the end of September, AFP reported.

The Lufthansa group, whose carriers also include SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, has not flown to Beirut since late July.

Lebanese group Hezbollah has traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces in support of ally Hamas since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack triggered war in the Gaza Strip.

Lufthansa had also suspended flights to Tel Aviv in Israel due to the tensions, but resumed them on September 5.

Flights to Tehran also resumed on September 5, although Austrian Airlines is currently the only airline in the group serving the Iranian capital, a Lufthansa spokesman told AFP.

Germany, France and Britain on Tuesday said they were taking steps to cancel air transport agreements with Iran because of what they said was Iran's delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia.

"The Lufthansa group is aware of the planned sanctions and is in contact with the relevant authorities," the spokesman said.

Germany's foreign ministry on Wednesday said the country was "currently in intensive consultation with its European and international partners about the imposition of new sanctions, including in the aviation sector".