Maronite Patriarch Bechara Raï thanked God for the truce in Gaza, saying, "We hope it will turn into a permanent ceasefire.” In his Sunday Mass sermon, Raï directed a strong message to officials, stating, "We tell the officials to free themselves from their interests so that the Lebanese family can regain the joy of living; we do not accept that you take away hope from the youth and push them to emigrate."
He continued, "You have deliberately not elected a president for the republic for a year and a month, and the extremely delicate regional circumstances necessitate the protection of the state through the person of the president, while the winds are shifting towards arrangements in the region. We do not accept tying the election of the president to any individual, project, or objective related to influence, nor do we accept depriving the state of its head."
He added, "We do not accept attempts to undermine the unity and stability of the Lebanese army and its leadership, especially since the country and its security are on the brink of a volcano."
