{"id":200907,"date":"2023-11-03T16:47:37","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T14:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arabtelegraph.com\/?p=200907"},"modified":"2024-11-21T22:35:38","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T20:35:38","slug":"israel-hamas-war-hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah-makes-key-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabtelegraph.com\/?p=200907","title":{"rendered":"Israel-Hamas war: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah makes key speech"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Doocy asked, \u201cIf Qatar is so helpful, why aren\u2019t we asking them to hand over the leader of this terrorist group<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

??!!<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

A highly anticipated speech by Hezbollah has started but the anti-Israeli group\u2019s leader has used it to make a surprising admission.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome back to our live coverage of the war between Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is making a closely watched speech to lay out the heavily armed anti-Israeli group\u2019s next steps in the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It his the influential chief\u2019s first speech since the comflicty began. There are concerns the Lebanon based militia could open a northern front in the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he has distanced Hezbollah from the October 7 attacks saying they were \u201c100 per cent Palestinian\u201d organised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said late on Thursday it had \u201ccompleted the encirclement\u201d of Gaza City, \u201cthe centre of the Hamas terror organisation\u201d, following days of expanding ground operations in the besieged territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hamas\u2019 military wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said in response that Gaza would be a \u201ccurse\u201d for Israel and that its invading soldiers would go home \u201cin black bags\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday marked the 27th day of the conflict sparked by the October 7 attacks when Hamas terrorists stormed the border, killing 1400 people and kidnapping more than 240, Israeli officials say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza claims more than 9000 people have been killed in Israel\u2019s subsequent attacks, including 3760 children. Those figures have not been independently verified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today to discuss measures to protect civilians, as global aid organisations continue calls for an immediate ceasefire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Apocalyptic
Apocalyptic live images of Gaza on Thursday night showed Israel intensifying its aerial bombardment of the territory.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Apocalyptic live images of Gaza on Thursday night showed Israel intensifying its aerial bombardment of the territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hezbollah chief\u2019s surprising reveal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A highly anticipated speech by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has begun. There are concerns he could use the diatribe to declare war on Israel opening up a northern front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in his opening remarks Nasrallah has said Hezbollah, and its benefactor Iran, had nothing to do with the October 7 attacks which started the Israel-Gaza war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis was 100 per cent Palestinian,\u201d he said on Friday, Lebanon time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe international community keeps bringing up Iran and its military plans, but the October 7 attack was a 100 per cent Palestinian operation, planned and executed by Palestinians for the Palestinian cause, it has no relation at all to any international or regional issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis element of secrecy was the linchpin to the shocking success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonetheless, Nasrallah basked in the attack\u2019s results and said the outcomes of the attack were profound and showed how \u201dweak\u201d Israel was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe glorious operation,\u201d exposed \u201cthe frailty, weakness and total fragility of Israel \u2026 it\u2019s more fragile than a spider\u2019s web\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Some would like us to join a war\u2019: Hezbollah chief<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has threatened more attacks on Israel, but appears to be lowering expectations that he will declare war. At least for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome claim Hezbollah is about to join the fray. I tell you: We have been engaged in this battle since October 8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome would like Hezbollah to engage in an all-out war, but I can tell you: What is happening now along the Israeli-Lebanese border is significant, and it is not the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said Hezbollah\u2019s action since then had been \u201csignificant\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have been targeted Israeli soldiers, tanks, drones and sensors, the eyes and ears of Israel. We have been engaged in a true battle. The amount of our martyrs \u2014 57 \u2014 testifies to this,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he warned, Hezbollah\u2019s stance could change depending on Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll scenarios are open on our Lebanese southern front\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nasrallah added the IDF had been forced to divert forces, weapons and equipment from Gaza and the West Bank to the border with Lebanon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne-third of the IDF is now amassed on our border,\u201d he claims, although Hezbollah does not rule Lebanon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also warned Israel against a \u201cpre-emptive attack\u201d against Hezbollah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt will be the most foolish mistake you make in your entire existence\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Howvere, both the IDF and Hezbollah have been attacking one another in the border region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hezbollah blames US for Gaza war<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nasrallah has said the US, not Israel or Hamas, is \u201cresponsible\u201d for the current conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe United States is completely responsible for the war raging in Gaza \u2026 It is the US that must pay the price for the crimes perpetrated in Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That will raise fears of possible attacks on US bases within the Middle East, of which there are many, or terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Drunk\u2019: Hezbollah leader\u2019s bizarre claim<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his speech Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah made the preposterous claim that most of the 1400 victims on October 7 were killed by \u201cdrunk\u201d Israeli soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s despite Hamas militants in some cases gloating over their kills and footage of gunmen shooting Israelis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IDF soldiers were \u201cacting insanely as they were caught by surprise and were drunk,\u201d he said, reported The Times of Israel<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nasrallah also said that Israel \u201ccannot achieve\u201d its goal of eliminating Hamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAmong the gravest mistakes committed by the enemy in the past is setting high goals that they cannot achieve. They set as the top goal to annihilate Hamas, the whole of Hamas\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A number of commentators have shared that observation \u2013 that even if Israel destroys Hamas\u2019 command centres, tunnels and top commanders, it will still continue to exist in some capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel on \u2018very, very\u2019 high alert state ahead of speech.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel has said it is on a \u201cvery, very high\u201d alert level at its northern border with Lebanon due as concerns ramp up that a new front could open in the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Head of militant group Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah gave a speech today (Friday local time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hezbollah is based in Lebanon but its forces are separate to the Lebanese armed forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have already been skirmishes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah forces at the border since the Israel-Gaza war began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Hezbollah increase attacks, or declares war, it will mean Israel will have to fight Hamas to the south and Hezbollah to the north.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Tel Aviv has said its up for the fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are at a very high level of readiness in the north \u2013 on a very, very high level of alertness to respond to any event that occurred today and in the days to come,\u201d Israeli Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A woman holds up an images of Lebanon’s Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah during a rally at a stadium in Beirut. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blinken in Israel seeking \u2018concrete steps\u2019 to reduce Gaza civilian harm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Friday in a trip focused on measures to minimise harm to civilians in the war in Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The office of Israel\u2019s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted pictures of the meeting between the Israeli PM and Blinken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It posted on X: \u201cPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now holding a private meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at the Kirya in Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey will also meet with the members of the War Cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blinken is on his third visit to the country since the deadly Hamas attacks on 7 October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to his departure from the US, Blinken said he would seek \u201cconcrete steps\u201d from Israel to ensure that harm to Palestinian civilians is reduced, as US President Joe Biden also called for humanitarian pauses in the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is Blinken\u2019s second trip to the Middle East since fighting erupted on October 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will be talking about concrete steps that can and should be taken to minimise harm to men, women and children in Gaza,\u201d Blinken told reporters before departing for Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is something that the United States is committed to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"US<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I see a Palestinian child \u2014 a boy, a girl \u2014 pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building, that hits me in the gut as much as seeing a child in Israel or anywhere else,\u201d Blinken said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo this is something that we have an obligation to respond to, and we will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biden promises ramped up military aid<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biden has promised full support and ramped-up military aid to Israel for its campaign in Gaza, but in a visible shift of tone has also voiced empathy for Palestinian suffering which has stoked anger in parts of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think we need a pause,\u201d Biden said on Thursday at a campaign event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby later clarified what such a pause would entail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA humanitarian pause \u2026 is temporary, localised and focused, focused on a particular objective or objectives, humanitarian aid in, people out,\u201d Kirby told reporters<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UN reveals huge figure required to assist Gaza civilians<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UN on Friday launched an emergency aid appeal seeking $1.2 billion to help some 2.7 million people in Gaza and the West Bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe cost of meeting the needs of 2.7 million people \u2013 that is the entire population of Gaza and 500,000 people in the occupied West Bank \u2013 is estimated to be $1.2 billion,\u201d the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe original appeal, launched 12 October, asked for $294 million to support nearly 1.3 million people. The situation has grown increasingly desperate since then,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It came after Israel began sending thousands of Palestinian workers back to Gaza who had been stranded inside Israel since its war with Hamas erupted, a Gaza border official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThousands of workers who were blocked in Israel since October 7 have been brought back,\u201d Hisham Adwan, head of Gaza\u2019s crossings authority, told AFP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AFPTV footage shot early on Friday showed groups of workers arriving through the Karem Abu Salem crossing between Israel and southern Gaza, which is normally only used for goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel \u2018severs all contact\u2019 with 18,500 workers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Israeli government has announced that thousands of Gazans working in Israel will be sent back to the region under siege, as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s bold retaliation plan following the October 7 attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIsrael is severing all contact with Gaza. There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza. Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza,\u201d a post from Mr Netanyahu\u2019s office on X, formerly Twitter, said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel\u2019s security cabinet has also made moves to \u201cdeduct all funds designated for the Gaza Strip \u2026 from Palestinian Authority [PA] funds\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to the current conflict, approximately 18,500 Palestinians from Gaza had been given permits to enter Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White House grilled on Qatar role<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A senior White House official has bristled during a tense grilling over what is possibly the biggest elephant in the room of the conflict \u2014 the role of Qatar in continuing to give shelter to Hamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking about getting Americans out of Gaza, US President Joe Biden recently said he wanted to \u201cthank our partners in the region and particularly Qatar\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe leader of Hamas lives in Qatar, so why is President Biden thanking them for anything?\u201d Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby at Thursday\u2019s briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh geez, Peter \u2014 take a step back here and look at this,\u201d Mr Kirby said. He insisted Qatar had \u201cbeen helpful\u201d in getting American hostages, Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie, released last month<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you would agree with me and everybody at your network would agree that getting the hostages out is a good thing, and Qatar was key player in that regard,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Kirby: "And you\u2019re going to say, 'well, why are you talking to them. And why are you \u2014'"

Doocy: "You\u2019re making my point here."

Kirby: "No, I\u2019m not."

Doocy: "If Qatar is so \u2014"

Kirby: "No, I\u2019m not."

Doocy: "\u2014 helpful, why aren\u2019t we asking them to hand over the leader of this\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/rS2OStCpYT<\/a><\/p>— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 2, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>