BEIRUT, Lebanon (Agencies) – Hezbollah has rejected the latest ceasefire proposal involving Israel and the Lebanese government, insisting that any agreement must include a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory as fighting continues to escalate across the region.
In a written statement read on television, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem described the proposed arrangement as “absurd, humiliating and insulting,” arguing that conditions requiring Hezbollah fighters to withdraw from southern Lebanon under ongoing fire would amount to “surrender” and “defeat.”
The group reiterated that its primary demand remains a complete end to Israeli military operations and a full withdrawal, adding that it has made no commitment to stop fighting as long as Lebanese territory continues to come under attack.
The rejection came amid continued Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, which local authorities said killed at least four people on Thursday, while separate reports confirmed that a United Nations peacekeeper was also killed and two others injured during crossfire in southern Lebanon.
According to Lebanon’s state media, additional strikes hit multiple areas, including the village of Maaroub, where a motorcyclist was killed, and Sohmor in the Bekaa Valley, where three people died in air raids. Further strikes were also reported across southern Lebanon, as Israeli forces continued operations targeting what they described as Hezbollah positions.
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The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that a peacekeeper was killed after a mortar struck a position near Marjayoun, while the Serbian Defence Ministry also confirmed casualties among its personnel deployed with the mission.
Following Hezbollah’s rejection of the proposal, drone alert sirens were activated in several northern Israeli border communities, including Shlomi, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had recently met local officials. Israeli media reported that the premier had already left the area before the alerts sounded.
The Israeli military later said the sirens were triggered by attempts to intercept drones launched from Lebanese territory, with some reportedly landing near Israeli positions in the south of Lebanon. No immediate casualties were reported.
Military officials in Israel acknowledged that the ongoing conflict was placing increasing pressure on northern border communities, which have faced repeated rocket and drone attacks since hostilities intensified.
The wider conflict has continued despite multiple internationally backed ceasefire efforts. Earlier diplomatic proposals, supported by the United States and regional actors, sought to establish a framework under which the Lebanese army would assume control of border areas and restrict armed activity by Hezbollah.
However, key disagreements remain over the terms of withdrawal, disarmament, and territorial control, with Lebanon’s government facing political and logistical limitations in enforcing any full disarmament of the group.
Lebanese officials have described the current negotiations as a final opportunity to secure a comprehensive ceasefire, while Hezbollah and its allies maintain that any agreement must first guarantee an end to Israeli military action.
The conflict has resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with thousands killed in Lebanon and millions forced from their homes since fighting escalated. Israeli authorities have also reported military and civilian losses during the prolonged hostilities.
Diplomatic efforts remain ongoing, but both sides continue to maintain sharply opposing positions, leaving the prospects for a lasting ceasefire uncertain.
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