Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah during a speech amid Ashura commemoration on July 10, 2024. (Credit: Al-Manar)
BEIRUT — Hezbollah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah affirmed that his party "significantly considered Lebanon's national interests" by opening a "support front" for Gaza against Israel, according to a statement the party released on Sunday.
Since Oct. 8, Hezbollah has traded near-daily cross-border fire from Lebanon with the Israeli army in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas — with Israel targeting and killing 371 Hezbollah operatives in both Lebanon and Syria, according to L'Orient Today's count.
"We have significantly considered Lebanon's national interests through on-the-ground action by supporting, aiding, and exerting pressure [on Israel]," stated the Hezbollah leader in a speech on Saturday. Hassan Nasrallah regularly speaks during Ashoura, an annual commemoration observed by the Shiite sect.
Nasrallah questioned the pretext and the "logic" behind Saturday's Israeli strike on the al-Mawasi refugee camp, a designated safe area in Gaza, calling it a "massacre." According to the Gaza health ministry, these strikes killed at least 92 Palestinians.
"Is the pretext that they [Israel] had information about two Hamas commanders present there?" asked Nasrallah, referencing Mohammed Deif and Rafa Salama, respectively the head of Hamas' military branch and a commander in Khan Younis, both targeted by the Israeli offensive yesterday.
Two senior Hamas officials speaking to AFP on Sunday stated the Deif "is fine," yet reports about Salama have been conflicting.
He continued " Is there more disregard than this? Is there more contempt for people's blood, especially Muslims, than this? Is there more injustice, tyranny, arrogance, and corruption on earth than this? Is this a justification?"
Nasrallah also addressed Muslims worldwide: "There are around two billion Muslims, and you cannot do anything [for Gaza]?" he exclaimed. He reiterated that it is Muslims' duty to pray for the people of Gaza and aid them by any means necessary.
"Do Muslim populations not have a responsibility to help Gaza and its people and help them survive and rebuild their territory if governments are failing? This responsibility falls on all of us. Anyone who can send money to Gaza, to its fighters, its resistance, and its population, and can help in any way, should do so and allocate a portion of their money to Gaza. This extends to participating in the battle, fighting alongside them, defending them, and reducing the pressure on them," he continued.