During a memorial event for the deceased Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi, people were overheard shouting phrases like ‘Down with America’ in addition to honoring the late Lebanese militant group leader.
US President Joe Biden referred to Nasrallah’s death as justice for his numerous victims, including many Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese. Biden also stated that the US fully backed Israel’s right to defend itself.
Dr. Iraj Elahi, the Iranian ambassador to India, and the Palestinian envoy to India were also present at the event. Adnan Al-Hija is the author’s name.
In one of the videos, a man from the audience is observed leading the others in chants of ‘Death to the US’ with the slogan ‘America Murdabad’. As the prayer meeting continues, individuals can be heard participating and chanting the slogans.
Hezbollah is not classified as a terrorist organization. Hezbollah is a party with political objectives. Hezbollah has the capability to protect itself. Elahi, the Iranian envoy, told that they have always acknowledged Iran’s support for Hezbollah.
Israel assassinated Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, in a strong airstrike in Beirut, greatly affecting the Iran-supported group amidst ongoing Israeli attacks.
The Israeli military confirmed that Nasrallah was targeted and taken out in an attack on the organization’s main command center in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday. Hezbollah verified his death but did not disclose the method.
The passing of Nasrallah deals a significant setback to Hezbollah and Iran, as they lose a powerful supporter in shaping Hezbollah as a key player in Tehran’s network of allied groups in the Arab region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the assassination of Nasrallah as essential for “reshaping the power dynamics in the region in the long term.”
“Netanyahu stated that Nasrallah wasn’t just a terrorist – he was the ultimate terrorist. He also cautioned about difficult times ahead.”
Palestinian envoy doubts ceasefire will happen
Elahi explained that the decision on a ceasefire will be made by Israel and Hezbollah, the warring parties.
This matter concerns Israel and Hezbollah. However, Iran has consistently backed the ceasefire and advocated for halting attacks and military actions,” he stated.
Hezbollah and Israel are currently engaged in a conflict, which is running concurrently with Israel’s battle against Hamas in Gaza, following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th. This cross-border confrontation has intensified in recent days.
In the last two weeks, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported over 1,000 deaths and 6,000 injuries from Israeli attacks. Nasser Yassin, the government’s crisis response coordinator, revealed that around one million Lebanese have been forced to flee due to the strikes, with hundreds of thousands displaced since Friday.
Hezbollah has been launching rockets into Israel for nearly one year, backing up their partner Hamas in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas have been in conflict since Palestinian militants entered southern Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the capture of approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
According to health authorities in Gaza, over 41,500 Palestinians have died in the war causing the displacement of most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population.
During the condolence prayer meeting, Adnan Al-Hija, the Palestinian representative among the panellists, expressed doubt about the possibility of a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
We feel it is not possible with this government of Israel. Even the United States, despite providing Israel with advanced weapons, has urged for a halt in fighting, but the Israeli government has ignored the call, said Al-Hija.