Daily Times

Lebanon’s Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday broke weeks of silence since war broke out between Hamas and Israel, accusing the US of being entirely responsible for the war in Gaza and calling Israel merely ‘an executive tool’.

In a televised speech, the Hezbollah chief said that the Al-Aqsa Storm battle has extended to more than one front. This decision to launch the operation was 100% Palestinian, its owners hid it from everyone, he added. “There had to be a major event that would shake the usurping entity and its supporters in Washington and London and this is when the blessed operation of the October 7 took place.”

“We thank the Iraqi, Yemeni hands that joined this battle,” said Nasrullah. The secrecy of this operation did not upset anyone in the resistance axis, he added. This battle is completely Palestinian, for Palestinian people, has no relation to any regional issue, Nasrullah reiterated. Nasrullah added that the October 7 attack led to an earthquake in Israel, revealing Israel’s weaknesses. He added that “conditions in Palestine in recent years have been extremely harsh, especially with this extremist, foolish, stupid, and savage government.”

“This is a seamless battle at the human, ethical and religious levels. It’s the most evident, the most honest and the most noble. “Our true strength lies in our firm belief, unshaken conviction, our devotion and commitment to the cause.” Nasrullah said what happened confirms that Iran does not exercise any guardianship at all over the resistance factions and the real decision-makers are the leaders of the resistance. Nothing even started and we see countries around the world sending their presidents, their ministers, their generals, their arsenals, and their billions to support this illegitimate entity, he added.

“One of the biggest mistakes Israel is making now is setting goals that it cannot achieve.” Nasrallah said Israel can get back the captives held in Gaza through negotiations. He adds that what is happening in Gaza shows Israel’s foolishness and inability because what they are doing is killing children and women. The Hezbollah leader calls Israel “frail”, and says for a whole month it could not offer a single military achievement. He called the Palestinian group’s decision to launch the Al-Aqsa Storm right, wise and courageous, adding that it came at the right timing.

The Hezbollah leader calls what’s happening now in Gaza a decisive battle that it’s not like previous wars. He says this requires everyone to bear responsibility. Nasrallah also outlines two goals: the first is to stop the war in Gaza and the second is for Hamas to be victorious in this war. Meanwhile, Israel claimed its forces had surrounded Gaza City as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived again in Tel Aviv to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The United States was set to press Netanyahu to agree to pauses in fighting to allow aid into the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Gaza health authorities say at least 9,061 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its brutal assault on the enclave of 2.3 million people in retaliation for attacks by Hamas fighters on southern Israel. With the conflict nearing the end of its fourth week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel for the second time in a month to meet Netanyahu as Israel’s military battled Hamas fighters, who fought back with hit-and-run attacks from underground tunnels.

“We’re at the height of the battle. We’ve had impressive successes and have passed the outskirts of Gaza City. We are advancing,” Netanyahu said in a statement after the military said it had encircled the seaside enclave’s main city. As Blinken left Washington for the Middle East, he said he would discuss concrete steps to minimise harm to civilians in Gaza. The White House, meanwhile, said any pauses in fighting should be temporary and localised, and insisted they would not stop Israel defending itself.

Mounting casualties among Palestinian civilians, along with acute shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel, have intensified calls by global leaders for a pause in fighting or a ceasefire. Israel has dismissed those calls, saying it targets Hamas fighters whom it accuses of intentionally hiding among the population and civilian buildings. The White House has also rejected calls for a ceasefire. A group of independent United Nations experts warned that Palestinians in Gaza are at “grave risk of genocide”.

“We call on Israel and its allies to agree to an immediate ceasefire. We are running out of time,” the group of UN special rapporteurs said in a statement. The Israeli mission to the UN in Geneva called the rapporteur’s comments “deplorable and deeply concerning” and blamed Hamas for the civilian deaths. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said a determination of genocide could only be made by a relevant UN judicial body.