Lebanese officials reveal Hezbollah leader’s pre-assassination ceasefire agreement
Senior Lebanese officials have made a startling revelation, stating that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had agreed to a temporary ceasefire with Israel shortly before his assassination.
Reports say a 21-day truce was proposed by the US, France, and other allies.
According to Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Netanyahu’s government had also consented to the ceasefire. In an interview with CNN, Bou Habib said: “They told us that Mr. Netanyahu agreed on this, and so we also got the agreement of Hezbollah on that, and you know what happened since then.”
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Lebanon’s Ambassador to the UK, Rami Mortada, corroborated this account in a BBC interview:
“Hezbollah… subscribed to this joint statement that was issued calling for a ceasefire, 21-day ceasefire, and immediately after starting to look for a diplomatic solution in the framework of the Security Council resolution.”
Mortada lamented the loss of momentum towards a peaceful resolution:”We were on track, trying to discuss a diplomatic alternative to the current abyss, but the hotheads in Israel chose a different path.”
These disclosures shed new light on the events leading up to Nasrallah’s assassination, highlighting the potential for a peaceful resolution that was tragically cut short.
Recall that a powerful Israeli airstrike in Beirut eliminated Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, significantly impacting the Iran-backed group amidst escalating Israeli attacks.
The Israeli military confirmed Nasrallah’s death, while Hezbollah acknowledged it without details.
Nasrallah’s demise took a huge toll on Hezbollah and Iran, losing a key ally who strengthened Tehran’s Arab-world influence. US President Joe Biden called it justice for Nasrallah’s victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese.