Hezbollah ‘will not beg’, but is open to truce with Israel, new chief Naim Qassem says

Hezbollah’s new leader Naim Qassem said on Wednesday that the group would agree to a ceasefire with Israel under acceptable terms, but added that a viable deal has yet to be presented.

Qassem, who was named Hezbollah secretary general on Tuesday, did not explicitly link a Lebanon ceasefire to an end to fighting in Gaza, a position previously held by the Iran-backed group.

“If the Israelis decide that they want to stop the aggression, we say we accept, but under the conditions that we see as appropriate and suitable,” Qassem said in a pre-recorded speech, his first since he was named the group’s new leader.

But Hezbollah “will not beg for a ceasefire”, he added, noting that political efforts to secure a deal have yet to yield results.

“No project has been proposed that Israel agrees to and that we can discuss,” he said.

Qassem replaces Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel on September 27 after more than 30 years at the helm.