Sheikh Qassem reiterates Hezbollah's conditions for ceasefire
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The Deputy Secretary General's statements echoed similar sentiments expressed earlier this year regarding Hezbollah's position, that any ceasefire in southern Lebanon hinges upon a cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
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Smoke rise from between the houses of the northern Israeli settlement of Metula which was hit by Hezbollah shelling, Lebanon, Saturday, June 22, 2024 (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem on Tuesday reiterated the movement's stance on retaliatory strikes against "Israel", linking their cessation to the end of Israeli aggressions on the people of Gaza.
The statement came during a meeting with German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) Deputy Director Ole Diehl over the weekend, as per reports.
The meeting, reportedly aimed at addressing escalating tensions between Hezbollah and "Israel", laid the conditions necessary to avoid a full-scale war and called for an end to Hezbollah's retaliatory actions in support of Palestinians in Gaza, as reported by Lebanon's Al-Akhbar daily on Monday.
Sources further disclosed that a German intelligence plane made a brief stop at Beirut International Airport on Saturday evening, suggesting heightened diplomatic engagement between the parties involved.
Qassem's statements echo similar sentiments expressed earlier this year regarding Hezbollah's position, that any ceasefire in southern Lebanon hinges upon a cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
He reportedly urged Germany to exert pressure on "Israel" to halt its aggression, noting: "Unless the war stops in Gaza, it cannot stop in Lebanon."
Read more: Blinken to Netanyahu: Ceasefire deal can lead to calm in North
The meeting between Qassem and Diehl marked the second encounter between the officials, occurring amidst Western efforts to mediate and reduce tensions between Lebanon and "Israel".
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, in recent communications with Iranian counterparts and during a visit to Beirut, stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza to de-escalate tensions across the region.
Hezbollah's Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also issued a warning last week, asserting that no place in Israeli-occupied territories would be spared from Hezbollah's capabilities in the event of a full-scale conflict.
Nasrallah further said that Hezbollah was prepared to target any regional country aiding "Israel", including Cyprus, which has hosted Israeli forces for training.
Read more: Netanyahu reconsiders PA for 'day after' in Gaza Strip management
