In a surprising turn of events, Hezbollah is seeking an immediate ceasefire with Israel, according to a speech delivered Tuesday afternoon by Naim Qassem, a high-ranking official within the organization. This move, however, appears to be born out of military desperation rather than a genuine desire for peace.
Until recently, Qassem served as the deputy to Hezbollah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. He stated that the group "agrees to a ceasefire without conditions" and proposed that a ceasefire be implemented through diplomatic channels first, with discussions on the details to follow. Sources suggest this decision was likely coordinated with Iran.
The timing of this announcement is significant. It comes in the wake of reports that Nasrallah's intended successor, Hashem Safieddine, has been eliminated.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed today (Tuesday) that Safieddine was "probably eliminated." This leaves Qassem as one of the most senior figures remaining in Hezbollah's leadership.
Notably, Qassem's proposal does not tie the ceasefire to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Instead, he's pushing for an immediate halt to hostilities, with the finer points to be ironed out later. Israel is unlikely to favor this approach because it prefers to have clear terms established before agreeing to any ceasefire.
The urgency in Qassem's tone suggests that Hezbollah is under severe military pressure. The organization appears eager to prevent further Israeli advancements in southern Lebanon, which have been steadily eroding Hezbollah's military and civilian assets in the region.
While Qassem frames this as Hezbollah agreeing to a ceasefire, analysts view it more as a desperate plea stemming from a position of weakness. Some even interpret it as a tacit admission of defeat.
The ball is now in Israel's court. How the Israeli government responds to this and the role that international mediators might play, remains to be seen. There's also the question of whether the Lebanese government will step in to help bring an end to the conflict.
Ynet contributed to this article.
