Hezbollah declared its readiness for a ceasefire in Lebanon and for the first time did not make it conditional on a truce in the Gaza Strip, media report. This declaration was made by the deputy head of the group, Naim Kasem. – For a year the world has been calling for a ceasefire, Hezbollah did not want to agree to it, and now, when it is retreating, battered, it has suddenly changed its mind – commented a spokesman for the US Department of State.
On Tuesday, Naim Qasem, the deputy head of Hezbollah who currently heads the organization, gave a televised speech in which he announced that the group supports efforts to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon. As the media note, what is important is not only this declaration, but also the fact that for the first time the leader of Hezbollah did not make the ceasefire conditional on the fulfillment of any conditions.
Hezbollah ready for a truce
– We support the political efforts led by (Lebanese National Assembly Speaker Nabih – ed.) Berri under the slogan of a ceasefire, Qasem said in his speech. Beria is the leader of the Amal Party, a Hezbollah ally, and is a key figure in conducting negotiations. “Once the ceasefire is firmly established and diplomacy is able to achieve it, all other details will be discussed and decisions will be made jointly,” Kasem added.
Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023, in a show of solidarity with Hamas, which attacked the country the day before. So far, the group has indicated that it will stop its attacks only if there is a truce between Israel and Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip. However, no such reservation was made in Tuesday's speech.
Reuters notes that the lack of this condition was “clear”, although the leader of the organization did not say directly that the group was changing its position. One of Hamas' representatives, Sami Abu Zuhri, said that his group is still “convinced of Hezbollah's position linking any agreement with the cessation of the war in the Gaza Strip.”
In turn, Reuters cites one of the Lebanese officials who anonymously reported that Hezbollah had indeed changed its position. He did so under numerous pressures, including the mass displacement of people from the main constituencies where their supporters lived, and because of increasing Israeli actions and opposition from some Lebanese politicians.
In recent weeks, Israel has sharply increased the scale and scope of its airstrikes, and for the last week it has also been conducting a ground offensive in southern Lebanon. Israeli Defense Minister Joaw Galant made the assessment on Tuesdaythat “Hezbollah is seriously weakened and has no leadership” and today “it is the weakest in years.” Qassem maintained in a televised speech that “despite Israel's painful blows, Hezbollah's resources remained intact.”
Israel-Lebanon borderPAP – Michał Czernek
USA: we want a diplomatic solution to the conflict
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller commented on Tuesday that Hezbollah's call for a ceasefire shows the group is in retreat and “battered.” – For a year the world has been calling for a ceasefire, Hezbollah did not want to agree to it, and now, when it is retreating, battered, it has suddenly changed its mind and wants a ceasefire – he said. – We still want a diplomatic solution to this conflict, Miller added.
Office Benjamin Netanyahu refused to comment on this statement by the deputy head of Hezbollah.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/WAEL HAMZEH