Memorial ceremony for Hezbollah chief Nasrallah: “If only we were dead and he was still alive” | EUROtoday

In Beirut on Saturday night, a whole lot of individuals remembered Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike two months in the past. They gathered within the south of the Lebanese capital on the giant bomb crater for a ceremony organized by the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia after a ceasefire took impact in Lebanon on Wednesday.

Candles and the yellow militia flag have been positioned in and across the bomb crater. Speeches by Nasrallah have been performed over loudspeakers and lamps bathed the scene in pink mild. Huge portraits of Nasrallah have been hooked up to homes broken by bombing.

“Sayyed Hassan was everything for us. If only we were dead and he was still alive,” mentioned the 30-year-old Lama, who got here together with her 5 and eight-year-old kids. “He left a huge void,” she added.

“At your command, Nasrallah,” chanted a gaggle of youth waving the Hezbollah flag. “I still can’t believe he’s dead,” mentioned 18-year-old pupil Lea, who got here together with her mates.

As a stronghold of Hezbollah, the southern forewords of Beirut have been massively attacked by the Israeli Air Force for greater than two months.

After Hamas’ main assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, Hezbollah, which is allied with the Islamist Palestinian group, opened a second entrance in opposition to Israel with common rocket assaults from the south of Lebanon. In response, Israel shelled Hezbollah targets within the neighboring nation. The Israeli military has considerably elevated its assaults since September and launched floor operations in southern Lebanon on the finish of September.

In addition to Nasrallah, one other commander and a senior member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard have been killed within the air strike on an underground bunker on September twenty seventh.

Nasrallah was buried in a secret location as a result of fears of an Israeli assault throughout his burial. After the ceasefire got here into power, Hezbollah introduced a public memorial service, however didn’t but give a date.