Cease-fire in Lebanon only after Hezbollah relocated, disarmed: Israel

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has said that Tel Aviv will only accept a cease-fire in Lebanon when pro-Palestinian resistance group Hezbollah has been pushed away from the border to the north of the Litani River and disarmed, according to the Israeli media.

“The only acceptable way for Israel to agree to a cease-fire is to move Hezbollah north of the Litani River and disarm it,” Katz said in a message to foreign ministers from 25 nations as cited by the Israeli public broadcaster KAN.

He claimed that the full implementation of all UN Security Council resolutions regarding Lebanon “will lead to a cease-fire.”

“For as long as this does not happen, Israel will continue its actions to ensure the security of its citizens and the return of northern residents to their homes,” he added.

There was no comment from Hezbollah.

For decades, Israel has occupied the Shebaa Farms in Lebanon, the Syrian Golan Heights, and the Palestinian West Bank.

Since September 23, Israel has launched massive airstrikes against what it calls “Hezbollah targets” across Lebanon, killing more than 900 people and injuring over 2,700 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated in an airstrike in Beirut on Friday.

Hezbollah has been under attack from Israel from across the border since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, mostly women and children since October 7.