Skip to main content

Lebanon's Hezbollah chief: Hamas negotiates on behalf of the entire Axis of Resistance

1 min Mena Today

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Hamas was conducting Gaza ceasefire talks with Israel on behalf of the entire "Axis of Resistance" and, if a deal was reached, Hezbollah would stop its operations with no need for separate talks.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah © Mena Today 

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah © Mena Today 

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Hamas was conducting Gaza ceasefire talks with Israel on behalf of the entire "Axis of Resistance" and, if a deal was reached, Hezbollah would stop its operations with no need for separate talks.

At the same time, Nasrallah warned that Hezbollah was ready for and did not fear a war and pointed to the ever-larger salvos of rockets and drones the group has fired at Israel as evidence.

The Axis of Resistance is an alliance built up over years of Iranian support against Israel and U.S. influence in the Middle East. It includes the Yemen's Houthis and Shi'ite armed groups in Iraq.

"Hamas is negotiating on its own behalf and on behalf of the Palestinian factions, and also on behalf of the entire Axis of Resistance. What Hamas accepts, we all accept," Nasrallah said, speaking in a televised address to mourn the recent killing of a senior Hezbollah commander.

Hezbollah began firing at Israeli targets on the border in support of Palestinians after its ally Hamas launched the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that precipitated the war in Gaza.

It has repeatedly labeled its attacks as a "support front" aimed at drawing Israeli military resources away from Gaza and supporting Palestinians.

Tens of thousands of Israelis and Lebanese have been forced to evacuate from the area around the border between the two countries and international observers have warned in recent weeks of the growing risk of a wider conflict.

The U.S. and France have spearheaded diplomatic efforts to try to secure a deal that would prevent the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah expanding.

Nasrallah said that, for Hezbollah, a Gaza ceasefire would be enough to do that.

"If there is a ceasefire in Gaza then our front will also cease fire without discussion, irrespective of any other agreement or mechanisms or negotiations."

By Laila Bassam and Timour Azhari

Related

Israel

The least innovative thing about Israel's election season

Political advertisements are a staple of Israeli elections, and arguably one of the best lenses through which to decode the country's shifting political currents. This time around, though, candidates seem to have left creativity at the door when it comes to campaign posters.

Syria

Syrian Druze leader says his community is « Part of Israel »

Syrian Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri has declared that the Druze community, present across several Middle Eastern countries, is "an integral part of Israel," citing a shared "faith and ideology" with the Israeli state, according to remarks reported Tuesday by the Syrian digital outlet Syria Now.

Israel

Israeli PM claims Iran targeted one of his sons

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Iran had tried to kill one of his sons, but gave no details about when the alleged plot took place, which son was targeted or how close it came to being carried out.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.