The new Hezbollah leader, Naim Qassem, started on Wednesday that the group would accept a ceasefire with Israel under appropriate conditions, but that such an offer has not yet been made. Qassem, who was appointed as Hezbollah`s Secretary-General on Tuesday, did not directly link a ceasefire in Lebanon with an end to the fighting in Gaza, which had previously been the position of the Iran-backed group.
”If Israel decides it wants to stop the aggression, we say we accept, but under conditions we consider appropriate”, Qaseem said in a pre-recorder address, his first since taking office.
Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah, ”will not plead for a ceasefire”, noting that previous political efforts had not yeilded results. ”No proposal that Israel accepts has been put forward, nor can we discuss it”, he added.
The new leader has replaced Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli attack on September 27 after more than three decades of leading the group. He assumes leadership while Hezbollah is in open conflict with Israel, which is intensifying attacks on the group`s strongholds and sending ground forces across the border.
Qassem acknowledged that the killing of Nasrallah and other senior Hezbollah leaders was a ”painful” setback for the group but added that they have ”begun rebuilding by appointing replacement leaders and reorganizing”.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen confirmed that discussions are underway within the Israeli government regarding ceasefire terms with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. According to Cohen, these negotiations still require time, while Israeli media reports indicate that talks are in progress regarding Hezbollah`s withdrawal north of the Litani River, deployment of the Lebanese army at the border, and the establishment of international oversight.
