‘Sinwar killing opens new perspective’, says EU’s Josep Borrell as he pushes for ceasefire at G7 defense summit – Firstpost

The vice president of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, said on Saturday that the killing of the head of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, has increased the chances of reaching a ceasefire agreement between the two conflicting parties.

Earlier this week, Israel announced that Sinwar had been killed in an attack in Gaza and hours later Hamas confirmed his death.

“After the killing of Sinwar a new perspective opens and we must use it to reach a ceasefire, release the remaining (Israeli) hostages and seek a political perspective,” Borrell told the meeting of G7 Defense Ministers.

“UNIFIL needs an overhaul”

Borrell said the mission of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon UNIFIL “needs to be reviewed” and possibly strengthened.

“They cannot act by themselves, it is certainly a limited role. Expanding the role could be considered, but that requires a decision by the UN Security Council,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lebanon has rejected Iran’s offer to help implement UN Resolution 1701.

In 2006, UN Resolution 1701 was adopted with the aim of ending the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The resolution calls for a permanent ceasefire based on the creation of a buffer zone.

Under Resolution 1701, the UN Security Council authorized a UN peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL “to assist” Lebanese forces in ensuring that southern Lebanon is “free from any armed personnel, goods and weapons other than those of the Government of Lebanon.”

G7 leaders discuss West Asian conflict

Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Seven countries, organized the body’s first defense ministerial meeting, held in Naples, the southern city that also hosts a NATO base.

The head of NATO, Mark Rutte, and the head of EU foreign policy, Josep Borrell, were invited to the one-day talks.

Borrell told reporters the group had a lot to discuss, including the recent attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza.

A morning session included discussions of recent strikes at UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon in Lebanon, where Israel is also at war with Hamas ally Hezbollah.

With contributions from the AFP