Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem outlined five conditions for a ceasefire with Israel to Iranian media. Concurrently, Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Maronite Christian Lebanese Forces political party, publicly condemned Hezbollah on Saturday, asserting that the group is responsible for the ongoing violence and displacement within Lebanon.
Geagea contended that the presence of Hezbollah and its arsenal is the fundamental reason Lebanese civilians require a ceasefire. He further stated that the armed group is the cause of what he termed “an Israeli occupation.” “If it weren’t for Hezbollah and its weapons, we wouldn’t have prisoners, displaced people, or the need for reconstruction,” Geagea emphasized.
In a separate development, Naim Qassem elaborated on Hezbollah’s demands for a truce with Israel. The primary condition, according to Qassem, is a “permanent cessation of aggression.” Secondly, he demanded the complete withdrawal of the “Zionist enemy” from Lebanese territory to the internationally recognized border. The third step involves Israel releasing prisoners. Fourthly, displaced Lebanese residents must be allowed to return to their homes in border towns and villages. The fifth and final condition is the initiation of reconstruction efforts, supported by international and Arab communities, alongside a commitment to “national responsibility.”
Qassem, as quoted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, also affirmed Hezbollah’s readiness for “the highest level of cooperation with the Lebanese government within a new framework for realizing national sovereignty.”
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