France says it will double its humanitarian aid to Lebanon

PARIS, March 19 (Reuters) - France will double its humanitarian aid to Lebanon to the value of 17 million euros ($19.70 million), France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday, as Lebanon grapples with Israel's military campaign in the country.

Barrot made the announcement on his social media account as he visited Beirut, as part of efforts to get 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.

Israel has rebuffed an offer of direct talks from Beirut as too little, too late by a government that shares its goal of wanting Hezbollah disarmed but fears that acting against it could risk civil war, sources familiar with the situation said.

($1 = 0.8629 euros)