Hezbollah agrees to ceasefire with caution as Israel weighs truce option

BEIRUT, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of Hezbollah's political council, said on Wednesday that the group has agreed to a ceasefire with Israel but remains cautious about its implementation.

Speaking to Al Jadeed TV, Qomati said Hezbollah would not accept a return to the 2024 arrangement, under which one side complied while Israel evaded its obligations.

He added that any effort toward reaching a ceasefire is appreciated, while warning of potential Israeli breaches.

Qomati also advised residents to avoid traveling to southern Lebanon for the time being, citing ongoing security risks.

Israel has been discussing a possible ceasefire, with its Security Cabinet set to review the option, while parallel U.S.-mediated talks involving Lebanon have made a ceasefire one of the key issues under negotiation.

A previous ceasefire in Lebanon, which had been in place since November 2024, was characterized by near-daily Israeli strikes in the country. The fragile truce collapsed on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in support of Iran, triggering intensified Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon.