According to CNN, a ceasefire in Gaza will no longer be a condition for Hezbollah to stop fighting with Israel in Lebanon. This statement was made by Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem on October 8, marking the first time the Iran-backed force in Lebanon has publicly supported an unconditional ceasefire.
In his speech, Naim Qassem endorsed diplomatic efforts towards a ceasefire led by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. This was Naim Qassem's second speech since Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed late last month.
Nabih Berri - leader of the Shiite Amal party allied with Hezbollah - has been a key figure in ceasefire talks brokered by Western nations.
Last month, former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah expressed support for a temporary ceasefire proposed by US President Joe Biden and his allies at the United Nations General Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army is continuously adding forces to support the ground campaign in the border area with Lebanon. There are about 3 divisions present on the front line, equivalent to thousands of soldiers.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Hezbollah's command capacity had been significantly reduced after Nasrallah's death, but its combat capabilities remained intact. In addition, on October 8, the Israeli military also confirmed that Hezbollah's successor leader had been killed.
Hezbollah's statement appears to show that the force wants to break its promise to its ally Hamas, which once said it would stop the conflict with Israel only when Gaza was no longer at war.
