Cabinet reviews cease-fire efforts, plans new aid appeal for displaced

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam chaired a ministerial meeting at the Grand Serail on Monday to review efforts to enforce the cease-fire that took effect April 17, as well as the latest negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli military officials held in Washington on Friday.

Speaking after the meeting, Information Minister Paul Morcos said discussions also focused on the situation of displaced people.

Morcos said a comprehensive report on shelter and displacement response efforts over the past three months will be released Tuesday.

He added that the government plans to launch a new appeal to the international community on Friday to help meet growing humanitarian needs as available resources decline.

Israel has killed ore than 3,400 people in Lebanon since March 2, while damages are estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, according to a preliminary Finance Ministry assessment released May 21.