After Hamas’ terror attack that saw 1,200 people killed and 250 kidnapped, Hezbollah started firing missiles at Israel, which responded in kind by launching rockets of its own. This then flared to a full-scale war in September, with Israel killing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and significantly weakening the group.
War is still grinding on in Gaza, where a humanitarian catastrophe continues to play out and more than 44,000 people have been killed, according to local officials.
The cease-fire would be limited to Lebanon, meaning it would not bring relief to Palestinians in Gaza or the dozens of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
In a statement, the families of the hostages said they “strongly urge” any agreement to include a demand for the release of those who are being held.
“The October 7 attack, orchestrated by Hamas and supported by Iran, saw Hezbollah join the conflict, linking its fate to the war in Gaza and the atrocities of the October 7 massacre,” the statement read in part.
“The current efforts to secure an agreement ending the war on the northern front present a vital opportunity to bring all hostages home. The northern front and the hostages’ release are inseparably linked — we cannot and must not treat them as separate issues.”
