French President Emmanuel Marcon kicked off an international summit in Paris on Thursday that aims to raise $540 million for humanitarian and civil security assistance for war-torn Lebanon with a $108 million pledge.

"The war must end as soon as possible, there must be a ceasefire in Lebanon," Macron said sitting alongside the country's Prime Minister Najib Mikati

A Paris conference Thursday on aid for conflict-stricken Lebanon raised around $800 million for humanitarian aid but saw little diplomatic progress as fighting continues between Israel and Hezbollah.