Nasrallah agreed to ceasefire before Israel killed him: Lebanon minister.
Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah chief, was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike last month after agreeing to a 21-day ceasefire with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, revealed that Nasrallah had consented to the ceasefire deal shortly before his death, hoping to ease tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. The agreement was intended to halt hostilities temporarily, but Nasrallah’s unexpected death disrupted the process. The airstrike that targeted Nasrallah marks a significant moment in the ongoing conflict, with both sides now dealing with the aftermath of his death and the unfulfilled ceasefire.
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, had agreed to a 21-day ceasefire with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just days before his death in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last week. This significant revelation was made by Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, during an interview with CNN, highlighting a fragile moment of potential de-escalation in the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.
According to Bou Habib, the ceasefire was brokered with the support of international powers, including U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and other allied leaders, after they met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month. The temporary ceasefire was seen as a crucial step toward easing the rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. It came in response to an incident that occurred in mid-September, when Hezbollah accused Israel of sabotaging their communication equipment, specifically pagers and walkie-talkies, through a series of unexplained explosions. These events, according to Hezbollah, were deliberate provocations aimed at disrupting their operations.
The ceasefire, which Nasrallah had reportedly agreed to, was intended to prevent further escalation and allow time for diplomatic efforts to resolve the underlying tensions. With the backing of key international players, the agreement was seen as a significant, albeit temporary, achievement in reducing hostilities in a region long plagued by violence. However, Nasrallah’s untimely death in the Israeli airstrike shattered any hopes of immediate progress.
Nasrallah’s Legacy and Role in Hezbollah
Hassan Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for over three decades, was a towering figure in Lebanon’s political and military landscape. He transformed the group into one of the most powerful non-state actors in the Middle East, deeply entrenched in both Lebanon’s politics and its defense against external threats, particularly Israel. Known for his fiery rhetoric and strategic leadership, Nasrallah’s influence extended beyond Lebanon, with Hezbollah playing a significant role in various regional conflicts, including in Syria during the civil war.
Nasrallah had been a central figure in Hezbollah’s confrontations with Israel, most notably during the 2006 Lebanon War. Under his leadership, Hezbollah built an extensive military infrastructure, including tunnels, rocket arsenals, and a network of loyal fighters ready to engage Israeli forces if necessary. His death, therefore, represents a significant loss for the organization and raises questions about Hezbollah’s future leadership and strategic direction.
The Ceasefire Proposal
The ceasefire proposal came at a critical juncture in the longstanding Israel-Hezbollah conflict. After years of intermittent violence, tensions between the two sides had escalated again following the mysterious explosions of Hezbollah’s communication devices. While Israel neither confirmed nor denied involvement, Hezbollah was quick to accuse its southern neighbor of orchestrating these acts of sabotage, increasing the risk of direct confrontation.
In response to the growing threat of war, Biden, Macron, and other international leaders called for calm, urging both sides to halt aggressive actions and engage in dialogue. The ceasefire, which Nasrallah reportedly accepted, was meant to be a 21-day window of peace, giving all parties time to discuss longer-term solutions and prevent another major conflict in the region.
Fallout from Nasrallah’s Death
Nasrallah’s death in the airstrike has cast a long shadow over the possibility of peace between Hezbollah and Israel. Israeli officials, while not directly acknowledging the ceasefire talks, have emphasized that the strike targeting Nasrallah was part of broader efforts to neutralize Hezbollah’s threat to Israeli security. Some analysts argue that the timing of the airstrike suggests Israeli intelligence was aware of Nasrallah’s location and made a calculated decision to eliminate him despite the ongoing negotiations.
For Hezbollah, Nasrallah’s assassination is both a strategic and symbolic blow. His leadership was central to the group’s identity and ability to maintain cohesion amid the pressures of regional conflicts and internal Lebanese politics. While Hezbollah has not yet announced a formal successor, his absence leaves a vacuum that could lead to internal power struggles or a shift in the group’s approach toward Israel and its role in Lebanon.
In Lebanon, where Hezbollah is both a military force and a political party, Nasrallah’s death has sparked widespread anger, particularly among the Shiite community that sees Hezbollah as a protector against Israeli aggression. Lebanese officials, including Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, have condemned the airstrike and warned of potential retaliatory measures by Hezbollah in the coming weeks.
Regional and International Implications
The death of Hassan Nasrallah not only complicates the situation for Hezbollah but also has broader regional implications. Hezbollah’s relationship with Iran, its primary backer, is expected to come under scrutiny as Tehran navigates how to support the group’s leadership transition. Moreover, Nasrallah’s death could alter the dynamics of Hezbollah’s involvement in conflicts such as Syria, where it has played a key role in supporting the Assad regime.
Internationally, Nasrallah’s assassination raises concerns about the future of the fragile ceasefire negotiations. The involvement of leaders like Biden and Macron indicates the high stakes of the conflict, with any renewed fighting between Hezbollah and Israel potentially destabilizing the broader region. The ceasefire deal, now in limbo, may serve as a starting point for future peace efforts, but without Nasrallah’s leadership, it remains uncertain how Hezbollah will approach such discussions moving forward.
In conclusion, the untimely death of Hassan Nasrallah has added another layer of complexity to the already volatile situation between Hezbollah and Israel. While his agreement to a ceasefire offered a brief moment of hope, the airstrike that killed him has left the region on edge, with the potential for further violence looming large.