Oxfam America President and CEO Abby Maxman says Lebanon’s humanitarian emergency cannot be addressed by a ceasefire that exists only in name. In an interview on Forbes Newsroom, Maxman pointed to the need for a truce that is actually enforced on the ground, as civilians continue to face the effects of conflict.
The discussion comes after fighting between Israel and Hezbollah flared up again in the days following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year. Although Israel and Lebanon reached a ceasefire agreement in June, the broader concern raised in the interview is whether that deal has translated into meaningful protection for people caught in the crisis.
Maxman’s comments underscore a wider humanitarian issue in Lebanon: a formal agreement alone may not be enough if violence continues or aid access remains unstable. For relief organizations, the key question is whether any ceasefire creates real conditions for safety, assistance and recovery.
As the conflict environment remains fragile, the interview highlights growing pressure for a more durable halt to hostilities. The central message from Oxfam’s leadership is that Lebanon needs more than a paper agreement — it needs a ceasefire that holds in reality.
