Leaders of EU states in Mediterranean call for immediate ceasefire in Middle East

Leaders of nine European Union Mediterranean countries on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire after a sharp escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

"Amid the backdrop of the conflict in Gaza and the broader region, we express our deep concern at the escalation of military confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah," the EU leaders said in a statement after a summit, known as MED9, in Cyprus.

"We seek an immediate ceasefire along the Blue Line and the swift dispatch of humanitarian aid to Lebanon," the leaders, including those from France, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Portugal, said in a joint statement, referring to the U.N.-mapped demarcation line separating Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights.

Reuters