Hezbollah Chief Lauds ‘Persistence Of Resistance’ For Gaza Truce

Congratulating Palestinians over the Gaza truce deal, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has said that the ceasefire showed the “persistence of resistance” against Israel.

These are the first remarks that the leader of Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has made in public since Israel and Hamas reached the Gaza truce accord on Wednesday.

“This deal, which was unchanged from what was proposed in May 2024, proves the persistence of resistance groups, which took what they wanted while Israel was not able to take what it sought,” he said.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in a conflict parallel to the Gaza war in November.

That ceasefire, which was brokered by the United States and France, requires Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days, and for Hezbollah to remove all its fighters and weapons from the south.

Ceasefire Violations

Both sides have since accused each other of breaching the ceasefire.

“Don’t test our patience and I call on the Lebanese state to deal firmly with these violations that have exceeded 100,” Qassem said.

He also referred to the election of Lebanon’s new President, Joseph Aoun, who commanded the Lebanese military until Parliament elected him as head of state on January 9.

“Our contribution as Hezbollah and the Amal movement led to the election of the new president with consensus,” Qassem said.

The nomination of Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam had angered Hezbollah, which accused opponents of seeking to exclude it.

Salam was nominated by a majority of lawmakers last week to form a government but did not win the backing of the Shi’ite parties Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.

Salam said the formation of a new government would not be delayed, indicating a positive atmosphere in discussions over its composition.

Cabinet Approval

The Israeli cabinet has approved a ceasefire and a hostage release deal with Hamas in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Saturday, a day before the agreement is set to begin.

After a meeting that lasted over six hours in the early hours of Saturday, the government ratified the agreement that could pave the way for an end to the 15-month-old war in the Palestinian enclave, which Hamas controls.

Strikes Continue

In Gaza itself, Israeli warplanes have kept up heavy attacks since the ceasefire deal was agreed.

Medics in Gaza said an Israeli airstrike early on Saturday killed five people in a tent in the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis in the enclave’s south.

This brought to 119 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli bombardment since the accord was announced on Wednesday.

(With inputs from Reuters)