France says it will double its humanitarian aid to Lebanon

France will double its humanitarian aid to Lebanon to the value of $18.7m, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday.

Barrot made the announcement on his social media account as he visited Beirut, as part of efforts to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Jean-Yves Le Drian, France's special envoy for Lebanon, had said earlier this week that it was unreasonable to expect the Lebanese government to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah while the country is being bombed by Israel.

Reporting by Reuters