The First Shock Absorbed: No Ceasefire in Lebanon Without Gaza

By Elijah J. Magnier

The United States and European nations proposed a plan for Lebanon to de-escalate tensions with Israel, cease hostilities and return to the situation by 8 October 2023. However, the resistance firmly rejected this offer. Hezbollah refuses to separate the fate of Lebanon from that of Gaza. It will not stop its operations until the war in Gaza ends and the Palestinian resistance reaches an agreement that it considers appropriate.

Hezbollah, a resilient force, cannot accept a ceasefire after Israel has destroyed over 2,400 targets. The displacement of over half a million people from southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley has reached such a scale that harming civilians no longer poses a significant threat to the group. Hezbollah has already absorbed the initial shocks, from the sabotage of its communications networks to attacks on its leadership and widespread Israeli air strikes across Lebanese territory targeting its fighters and their families. In response, Hezbollah, in coordination with the Syrian government, facilitated the planned evacuation of large numbers of displaced people from the Bekaa to Syria.

There have also been thousands of casualties, including many martyrs and wounded. In response, Hezbollah has appointed new, experienced commanders to its elite Radwan Force, with experience in previous wars, and put its forces on high alert in preparation for a possible ground invasion. This readiness reflects the group’s determination and preparedness.