Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Rumors with Hezbollah: ‘Fight Will Continue with Full Force’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly denied reports on Thursday suggesting that Israel was close to agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. As Netanyahu traveled to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly, his office released a statement dismissing the claims as false.

“The news about a ceasefire is incorrect. This is an American-French proposal that the prime minister has not even responded to,” read the official statement. It emphasized that Netanyahu had not instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to ease military operations in the north. Instead, the prime minister has directed the IDF to continue fighting “with full force” and according to strategic plans presented to him.

Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, along with ongoing operations in Gaza, will persist “until all war objectives are achieved,” the statement declared. Netanyahu’s coalition members have also expressed their opposition to any ceasefire, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich insisting that the only acceptable outcome in the north is the complete dismantling of Hezbollah’s capabilities to threaten Israeli civilians.

The denials come as international pressure mounts for a ceasefire. On Wednesday, a joint call from the United States, France, and several other nations urged for an “immediate 21-day ceasefire” along the Lebanon-Israel border to allow space for diplomacy. U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated the need for a settlement to ensure safety and security for civilians in the region.

However, Netanyahu’s government remains resolute, rejecting the proposal and reaffirming its commitment to continue military operations against Hezbollah.

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