(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement regarding reports of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon: 

“I’m relieved that all parties have agreed to a ceasefire that will re-establish calm for the people of both countries, halt a broader conflict, protect civilians in both Lebanon and Israel and allow displaced individuals to soon return to their homes. All parties must uphold their end of the deal to ensure that this ceasefire translates into a lasting peace.  

“The people of Lebanon and Israel deserve to live their lives without fear of violence. This ceasefire is an important step towards ensuring future generations do not suffer through such conflict. Moving forward, all parties to the agreement must work towards maintaining that peace. I am grateful to the Biden Administration for their hard work to reach this agreement. With this ceasefire now in place, I hope that efforts to end the conflict in Gaza are redoubled and I call on Hamas to immediately release the remaining hostages who must be brought home.” 

Last month, Shaheen and U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released a joint statement voicing concern about the escalation of violence in Lebanon and urged all parties to negotiate a ceasefire. In November, Shaheen joined her colleagues in expressing concern about Israeli military actions that resulted in the deaths of members of the U.S.-supported Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and reiterated the need for de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.