Christian organisations have expressed hope and gratitude following the implementation of a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Tuesday.
If successful, the agreement will end over 14 months of intense cross-border conflict.
Sarah Nour, who partners with the Christian charity Open Doors in Lebanon, told Premier Christian News she is optimistic about the potential for lasting peace: “I feel it is an answer to prayer,” she said. “It’s been months of violence, shocking bombs … and now we finally see that there is hope.”
The U.S. and France-brokered deal mandates a 60-day pause in hostilities. It requires Hezbollah to withdraw its armed presence from southern Lebanon and for Israeli troops to return to their side of the border. However, the agreement does not extend to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, though Hamas has stated its willingness to cooperate with efforts toward a ceasefire there.
Despite warnings from the Israeli and Lebanese militaries to stay away from some areas, thousands of displaced people have begun returning to their homes. Over 1.2 million Lebanese and tens of thousands of Israelis fled the fighting, leaving many eager to rebuild their lives.
Nour highlighted the resilience of Christians during the conflict - while some churches in heavily bombed areas temporarily closed for safety, many continued their services and outreach.
“This is the time for us as Christians in the region, to be on our knees and to pray for people to show the practical love of Christ, to share the Gospel and to pray for lasting peace,” she said. “We are called to be peacemakers.”
Christian aid charity CAFOD has also welcomed the ceasefire, adding that it “prays that it holds.”
Elizabeth Funnell, CAFOD’s Middle East representative called for similar diplomatic action in Gaza “where over 90 per cent of the population are displaced and over 44,000 have been killed – many of them children.”
