Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah speaking during an Ashura commemoration, July 28, 2023. (Credit: Screenshot via al-Manar.)
BEIRUT — Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday called on "everyone" involved in the clashes at the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp to do their part to stop the fighting. The clashes in the Palestinian camp have gone on for four days straight.
In a speech commemorating the 13th day of Ashoura, Nasrallah said the "fight should not continue, because its repercussions are bad in Saida, the surroundings, the south, and all of Lebanon."
Fighting in Ain al-Hilweh broke out Saturday in the al-Safsaf neighborhood of the camp, between Islamist factions close to Hamas, which is allied with Hezbollah, and the Fatah Movement stationed in the al-Baraksat neighborhood near the northern entrance to the camp. The violence escalated across the entire camp and stray bullets hit nearby parts of Saida.
According to UNRWA, the death toll in Ain al-Hilweh rose to 11 on Monday.
In his speech, Nasrallah also addressed the Lebanese army, referring to it as the "main security for the unity of the [Lebanese] land and its stability." "This institution [the Lebanese army] should be supported so that it can fulfill its duties," he added.
Addressing the international and Islamic community after Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark, Nasrallah said: "What is happening strengthens our belief in our choices. This country cannot get protected by other countries or by Arab, Islamic, or international organizations. The international community are traitors and liars. What protects this country and its freedom is only the resistance."