Hezbollah Leader Calls Gaza's Armistice Evidence Of Resistance Persistence To Israel

Naim Qassem/PHOTO via Wikimedia Commons/Sebastian Baryli

JAKARTA - Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem congratulated Palestinians on the ceasefire agreement in Gaza which is said to prove a "continuous" persistence in the resistance against Israel.

The statement was first made by leaders of Iran-backed Lebanese militant groups since Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on Wednesday.

"This agreement, which has not changed from what was proposed in May 2024, proves the persistence of the resistance groups that took what they wanted while Israel was unable to take what they wanted," Qassem said.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in a conflict parallel to the Gaza war in November. The ceasefire, brokered by the United States and France, required Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days, and Hezbollah must remove all fighters and weapons from the south.

The two sides have since accused each other of violating the ceasefire.

"Don't test our patience and I call on Lebanese countries to deal with the strict violations that have exceeded these 100," Qassem said.

He also referred to the election of Lebanese's new president, Joseph Aoun, who led the Lebanese military until parliament elected him as head of state on January 9.

"Our contribution as Hezbollah and the Amal movement resulted in the election of a new president with consensus," Qassem said.

The nomination of Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has angered Hezbollah, accusing his opponents of trying to exclude him.

Greetings were nominated by the majority of lawmakers last week to form a government but did not receive support from Shia Hezbollah and the Charity Movement.

Greetings say the formation of a new government will not be postponed, this shows a positive atmosphere in discussions about the composition of the government.