War in the Middle East: Hezbollah rejects any Israeli conditions for a truce in Lebanon

The leader of Lebanese Hezbollah delivered a combative speech on Wednesday, warning that Israel could not impose its conditions for a ceasefire in the war in Lebanon, where US envoy Amos Hochstein held negotiations before traveling to Israel. The United States and France are increasing efforts aimed at obtaining a truce in this conflict between the powerful pro-Iranian movement and Israel.

Hezbollah opened a front against Israel the day after the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023 which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip, saying it was acting in support of the Palestinian Islamist movement. The Lebanese movement and the Israeli army entered into open war on September 23, and the Israeli army has been carrying out incursions into southern Lebanon since September 30.

Hezollah demands “total end to Israeli aggression” in Lebanon

The American ambassador to Beirut, Lisa Johnson, presented to the Lebanese authorities last week a 13-point plan providing for a 60-day truce and the deployment of the army in southern Lebanon, one of Hezbollah’s strongholds.

Israel “cannot impose its conditions on us,” warned the leader of Lebanese Hezbollah Naïm Qassem in a pre-recorded speech. He added that Hezbollah demanded “a total cessation of aggression” in Lebanon. “The Israeli enemy cannot penetrate whenever it wants” into Lebanese territory in the event of a ceasefire, he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Monday that Israel “will carry out military operations” against Hezbollah even in the event of a truce. His Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, said on Wednesday that any agreement should give his country “freedom of action” against the Lebanese movement. Naïm Qassem also warned that his movement would target “the center of Tel Aviv”, in response to recent Israeli strikes on the capital Beirut.

On Wednesday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported 10 deaths in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah announced that it had carried out several attacks in northern Israel.

3,550 deaths in Lebanon since October 2023

Violence between Israel and Hezbollah has caused more than 3,550 deaths in Lebanon since October 2023, most since the start of the massive Israeli bombing campaign on September 23. On the Israeli side, 79 soldiers and 46 civilians were killed in 13 months.

Israel says it wants to distance Hezbollah from the border regions of southern Lebanon to allow the return of some 60,000 residents of northern Israel displaced by the movement’s fire. In Lebanon, tens of thousands of residents have also been displaced.

The Lebanese army announced on Wednesday the death of a soldier in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon, bringing to 18 the number of its soldiers killed since September 23. The Israeli army reported the death of one of its soldiers, killed in fighting in southern Lebanon, bringing to 50 the number of its soldiers killed since September 30.

France stressed on Tuesday the need to respect UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which marked the end of the war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. This resolution stipulates that only the Lebanese army and the Blue Helmets must be deployed on the southern border of Lebanon, implying a withdrawal of the Hezbollah sector, but also that of Israeli soldiers from Lebanese territory.