Al Mayadeen – October 29, 2024
Hezbollah announces Sheikh Naim Qassem as Secretary-General
Hezbollah declares that its Shura council has elected Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem as Secretary-General.
Hezbollah's Shura Council announced that it had elected Sheikh Naim Qassem as the party's Secretary-General, succeeding Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. This decision, "grounded in the principles of true Islam and the steadfast ideals of Hezbollah, follows the party's established procedures for selecting the Secretary-General," according to Hezbollah's statement. 
Hezbollah expressed its commitment to upholding the legacy of Sheikh Qassem's predecessor, describing the election as part of a sacred mission. "We pledge to God Almighty, to the soul of our beloved martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (may God be pleased with him), to the martyrs, to the Islamic resistance fighters, and to our resilient and loyal people, to work together to fulfill Hezbollah's principles and goals."
Hezbollah emphasized the organization's dedication to carrying forward the cause of resistance. The Shura Council expressed its hope for Sheikh Qassem's success in leading Hezbollah, entrusting him with the responsibility of preserving the movement's resistance and raising its banner until victory.
Who is Sheikh Naim Qassem
Sheikh Naim Qassem, born in 1953 in Beirut, Lebanon, is from the village of Kfar Fila in the Iqlim al-Tuffah region of southern Lebanon.
He holds a degree in chemistry in French and worked as a teacher for several years. Alongside his studies in natural sciences, he pursued religious education in a seminary, earning a degree in jurisprudence and Islamic fundamentals.
Sheikh Qassem is recognized as part of the founding generation of Shiite Islamic cultural and activist organizations in Lebanon. He was active in groups that eventually formed Hezbollah, including the Lebanese Union of Muslim Students, and played a significant role in the Amal Movement founded by Imam Musa al-Sadr.
In 1982, following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, Sheikh Qassem was among Hezbollah's founding core. He has been elected to Hezbollah's Shura Council three times, managing various portfolios, including the Executive Council and educational activities.
In 1991, Sheikh Qassem became Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General, serving under Secretary-General Abbas al-Moussawi. He remained in this role until his election as the party's Secretary-General following the martyrdom of Sayyed Nasrallah. Over the years, Sheikh Qassem has led Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc in Lebanon and overseen its governmental and institutional affairs.
Sheikh Qassem is also the author of several political, cultural, and educational books, including a book on Hezbollah's political and military experience. Following the assassination of Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah by Israeli forces, Sheikh Qassem delivered several speeches defining the course of the resistance and issuing significant political and military messages to both the pro-Resistance audience and Hezbollah's enemies.
Hezbollah announces martyrdom of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
On September 28, Hezbollah released a statement announcing the martyrdom of its Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, joining a handful of Resistance leaders who dedicated their lives for the sake of fighting against the Israeli occupation.
"Israel" had earlier launched a series of heavy airstrikes on residential neighborhoods in the Southern Suburb of Beirut. The IOF announced that the goal of the attack was the assassination of Sayyed Hassan, and Israeli Army Radio pointed out that F-35 aircraft carried out the airstrikes using bunker-buster bombs.
The Islamic Resistance began its statement with the verse: Let those fight in the way of Allah, who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of Allah, and then is slain, or he subdues [the enemy], soon We shall give him a great reward. [Surah al-Nisa', verse 74]
"His eminence, the leader of the Resistance, the pious servant of God, has passed on to God as a great leader, a brave martyr, joining the martyrs of Karbala...on the path of prophets," the statement read.
"Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, joined his great, eternal companions, whose journey he led for over 30 years through victory after victory" after succeeding Sayyed Abbas al-Mousawi in 1992, leading them in "the liberation of Lebanon in 2000 and the Divine Victory of 2006," and up to the battle of support for Palestine and the oppressed people of Palestine.
Hezbollah extended its condolences to the Islamic nation and the steadfast people of Lebanon, and all the free and oppressed people of the world, congratulating Sayyed Hassan on achieving the greatest of divine gifts, through which he was granted his greatest wish, that of a martyr on the path to Palestine and al-Quds.
Yeni Shadak – October 29, 2024
PROFILE: Naim Qassem takes Hezbollah's helm after Nasrallah
Naim Qassem succeeds Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in Israeli airstrike in Beirut last month
The Lebanese group Hezbollah said Tuesday that it has elected Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem as its new leader.
"Hezbollah's Shura Council agreed to elect... Sheikh Naim Qassem as secretary-general of the group,” it said in a statement.
Qassem, 71, succeeds Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburb of Beirut last month.
Born in Beirut to a family hailing from the village of Kfar Fila in southern Lebanon, Qassem was one of the founders of Hezbollah in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982.
A father of six, Qassem has a master's degree in chemistry.
He began his political activism with the Shia Amal Movement in 1974.
Qassem was appointed as Hezbollah deputy chief in 1991 by then-Secretary-General Abbas al-Musawi, who was killed in an Israeli strike the following year.
Nasrallah was elected Hezbollah chief in 1992, while Qassem remained in his position as deputy chief.
- Major figure
Qassem has been the general coordinator of Hezbollah's parliamentary election campaigns since the group first contested them in 1992.
He also served on the group's Shura Council for three terms, where he was responsible for the educational and scouting programs within the group in Beirut.
Qassem witnessed all of Hezbollah's wars with Israel in 1993, 1996, 2000, and 2006.
In 2005, he authored a book about the history of Hezbollah, its political vision, and goals.
Qassem was the first Hezbollah official to make televised speeches following Nasrallah's death, vowing to continue the group's support for Palestinians in Gaza against Israel's war.
Regional tensions have escalated due to Israel's brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 43,000 people, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack last year.
As the conflict spread to Lebanon with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country, over 2,700 people have been killed and more than 12,500 others injured in Israeli attacks since last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Israel expanded the conflict by launching on Oct. 1 a ground assault into southern Lebanon.
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/profile-naim-qassem-takes-hezbollahs-helm-after-nasrallah-3693626
Al Mayadeen – October 29, 2024
Palestinian Resistance factions congratulate Sheikh Qassem on election
Palestinian Resistance factions have joined together to congratulate newly appointed Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem on his election by the movement's Shura council.
Palestinian Resistance factions extended their congratulations to Hezbollah on the election of Sheikh Naim Qassem as the party's new Secretary-General, expressing solidarity and confidence in Hezbollah's resilience as it faces off against the Israeli occupation forces in light of their attempted invasion of Lebanon.
The Palestinian Resistance Committees praised Sheikh Qassem's election, emphasizing that it underscores Hezbollah's unwavering strength and determination. "The successful election by Hezbollah's Shura Council, even under aggression, is a clear testament to the party's ability to endure and overcome hardships," their statement read.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement (PIJ) also offered its congratulations, celebrating Sheikh Qassem's new role as a "testament to the strength and initiative of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon."
The PIJ expressed confidence in Sheikh Qassem's leadership, stating, "We are certain of his ability to guide the party through this sensitive period, steering Hezbollah toward victory." The statement reaffirmed the movement's commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Hezbollah in the fight against the Israeli occupation.
Hamas
Hamas likewise extended its best wishes, viewing Sheikh Qassem's election as "evidence of Hezbollah's recovery from recent targeting of its leadership." Hamas praised the late martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Sheikh Qassem's predecessor, as a relentless fighter for occupied al-Quds, emphasizing its support for Hezbollah's new leadership.
PFLP
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) commended Hezbollah's resilience and congratulated its leadership for the "remarkable succession process" following Sayyed Nasrallah's martyrdom.
"The election of Sheikh Naim Qassem reaffirms Hezbollah's strength, resilience, and ability to renew its leadership," said the PFLP, adding that "this choice is a clear challenge to the occupation and a blow to the illusions of Israel and the US, which have repeatedly tried to weaken Hezbollah through assassinations and targeting its leadership."
Sheikh Qassem elected as Hezbollah chief
Hezbollah's Shura Council announced that it had elected Sheikh Naim Qassem as the party's Secretary-General, succeeding Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. This decision, "grounded in the principles of true Islam and the steadfast ideals of Hezbollah, follows the party's established procedures for selecting the Secretary-General," according to Hezbollah's statement.
Hezbollah expressed its commitment to upholding the legacy of Sheikh Qassem's predecessor, describing the election as part of a sacred mission. "We pledge to God Almighty, to the soul of our beloved martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (may God be pleased with him), to the martyrs, to the Islamic resistance fighters, and to our resilient and loyal people, to work together to fulfill Hezbollah's principles and goals."
Hezbollah emphasized the organization's dedication to carrying forward the cause of resistance. The Shura Council expressed its hope for Sheikh Qassem's success in leading Hezbollah, entrusting him with the responsibility of preserving the movement's resistance and raising its banner until victory.
Al Mayadeen – October 29, 2024
12,000 students martyred since October 2023: Gaza Education Ministry
The last functioning university in Gaza was reportedly destroyed by Israeli forces in January, leaving the territory without higher educational institutions.
Gaza's Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday that "Israel's" ongoing genocidal campaign since October 2023 has left a devastating toll on students, teachers, and educational infrastructure across the region.
According to the ministry, at least 11,852 students in Gaza have been killed, with 18,959 more injured since the war began in October 2023. In the West Bank, 114 students have reportedly been killed, while hundreds have been wounded.
Educational facilities have been heavily targeted, with 362 government schools and universities in Gaza damaged or destroyed, along with 65 facilities managed by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
The war has also affected over 560 teachers and administrators, many of whom have been killed, injured, or detained.
The widespread destruction has left 718,000 students unable to attend school, many of whom are now suffering from trauma and health complications due to the ongoing aggression.
Four in five schools hit directly
UNRWA has reported that nearly 80% of Gaza's educational buildings have been damaged, with four out of every five schools hit directly.
The last functioning university in Gaza was reportedly destroyed by Israeli forces in January, leaving the territory without higher educational institutions.
Many classrooms have become shelters for displaced families, further complicating the educational disruption.
Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas has called on the international community to intervene, denouncing the Israeli genocidal campaign against Gaza's population, which, among other impacts, is depriving thousands of access to education.
Human rights organizations have also raised alarms, urging a cessation of hostilities and advocating for the protection of civilians and essential infrastructure in the region.
40% of 43,000 killed by Israeli forces in Gaza are children
Gaza's Media Office reported on October 26 thatﾠ40% of all those killed by "Israel"ﾠare children, with the exact number being 17,210.
The Media Office shared additional details stating that 1,047 medical workers, 85 emergency workers, and 177 journalists have been martyred.
At least 1,206 households have had their entire family members killed by Israeli occupation forces.
As for the effects of the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip and the blocking of crucial humanitarian aid, 37 Palestinians have starved to death, while 3,500 Palestinian children are in life-threatening conditions due to malnutrition.
Al Mayadeen – October 29, 2024
900 Israeli troops evacuated to hospitals since incursion into Lebanon
The Israeli Security Ministry says that over the past year of the war, its rehabilitation division has received 12,000 injured personnel.
Approximately 900 additional Israeli soldiers have been evacuated to hospitals since the start of the ground incursion into Lebanon around a month ago, marking a 1.5-fold increase compared to September, the Israeli Security Ministry announced on Tuesday.
This comes as the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah continues to inflict significant losses on the Israeli occupation's military in both personnel and equipment across multiple fronts, stretching from the forward Southern Lebanese villages to Israeli positions deep within occupied Palestine.
The Israeli Security Ministry revealed that over the past year of the war, its rehabilitation division has received 12,000 injured personnel, with men comprising 93% of this figure. Of these, 51% are from the Israeli military reserves, and their ages range between 18 and 30 years.
Among the wounded, 14% sustained moderate to severe injuries, distributed as follows: 377 head injuries (23 of them severe), 308 eye injuries (12 resulting in blindness), 104 spinal injuries, and around 60 amputees.
On the psychological front, 5,200 wounded soldiers, representing 43% of the total, are suffering from various conditions, including anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among others.
The Israeli Security Ministry indicated that nearly 1,500 of the wounded were injured twice during combat, adding that approximately 1,000 injuries are admitted monthly due to the ongoing war.
According to estimates from the ministry's rehabilitation division, by 2030, there will be around 100,000 disabled individuals within the Israeli military, with half of them suffering from psychological disabilities.
Al Mayadeen – October 29, 2024
Hezbollah can continue to drain 'Israel', war must end: Israeli media
Israeli newspaper Maariv says Hezbollah still retains its rocket capabilities and will persist in its launches in the coming days.
Hezbollah can continue to drain "Israel" and launch its projectiles for many months, Israeli newspaper Maariv suggested on Tuesday.
It also highlighted that the Lebanese Resistance still retains its rocket capabilities and will persist in its launches in the coming days, with significant fire directed at Safad and Haifa.
In a related context, Israeli media cited former Gaza Division commander, Reserve General Gadi Shamni, as saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a "cold-hearted person" who does not care about the captives held in Gaza and is disconnected from "his people" and soldiers.
Shamni acknowledged a complete failure of Netanyahu's government, asserting that the premier has caused immense damage to "Israel".
"Israel" needs to end the war and bring back the captives, he stressed.
On his part, former commander of the Israeli Northern Corps, Noam Tibon, highlighted that more than 800 Israeli soldiers have been killed and around 12,000 injured, with thousands suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since the war began a year ago.
"We have lost the manpower of a whole division, and we need three additional divisions; otherwise, we will find it difficult to defend Israel," Tibon underscored.
'Israel' has long way to go to 'defeat Hezbollah': Jerusalem Post
On Monday, Israeli media reported that the number of Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon is increasing daily rather than decreasing over time.
An analysis by Seth Frantzman published in the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post pointed out that, after a month into war with Lebanon, the Israeli operation has begun to "take toll".
The strikes "Israel" conducted to supposedly weaken Hezbollah’s command and control have failed to meet their objectives, as the Lebanese group's leadership remains intact and capable of continuing its deadly operations, Frantzman indicated.
Despite that the assassination of Hezbollah commanders and Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah "should have weakened the group’s command and control," the Gaza war has revealed that such movements "are capable of replacing commanders even as they suffer blows," according to Frantzman.
"Hezbollah continues to fight on," the writer stressed.
"The challenge in southern Lebanon is that while Hezbollah has suffered blows to its command and control, the group appears to be clinging on and it is capable of continued deadly operations."
He said that although the goal behind "Israel's" ground incursion into Lebanon was to return 60,000 Israelis to northern settlements, "However, in a month of war, the rocket fire continues to average around 100-200 rockets fired by Hezbollah a day."
The report highlighted that fighting on two fronts — Gaza and Lebanon — along with Hezbollah’s ongoing rocket launches demonstrates that despite some Israeli "successes", these do not necessarily reduce losses on the front lines or bring about a swift defeat of these groups.
Frantzman also noted that Hezbollah has started releasing statements listing specific locations it intends to target, signaling that the Lebanese group units carrying out rocket attacks are able to supply central command with intelligence.
After approximately 27 days of ground combat with Hezbollah and over a month of intense Israeli operations against Lebanon, "Israel" still has a long way to go to “defeat Hezbollah”, the analysis suggested.
Anadolu Agency – October 29, 2024
Israel kills 109 more Gazans as death toll exceeds 43,060
Over 101,200 Palestinians injured in Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7, 2023, Gaza's Health Ministry says
At least 109 more Palestinians were killed in relentless Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, bringing the overall death toll since last year to 43,061.
Gaza Health Ministry said some 101,223 others were injured in the ongoing assault.
“The Israeli occupation has committed four massacres of families in the last 24 hours, resulting in 41 deaths and 113 injuries,” the ministry said.
“Many people are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.
The Israeli army has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.
Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas have failed over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to halt the war.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/israel-kills-41-more-gazans-as-death-toll-exceeds-43060-3693629
Al Mayadeen – October 29, 2024
Palestinian officials deny existence of new Gaza proposals
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Mardawi tells Al Mayadeen that Netanyahu still aims to fragment the ceasefire negotiations.
Reports by Western and Israeli media, as well as proposals for partial Gaza deals "shall not pass", underlined senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mardawi on Tuesday.
Al-Mardawi told Al Mayadeen on Tuesday that the conditions for reaching a deal regarding a ceasefire and prisoner exchange for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "have not yet matured."
While noting that "Netanyahu aims to fragment the negotiation framework," the Palestinian official expressed his belief that the Israeli government will be forced to change its political stance as a result of pressure from the battlefield.
In the same context, the head of Arab Relations in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, Rasmi Abu Issa, told Al Mayadeen that the group has not been officially informed of any new proposal regarding negotiations for a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire.
All the talk about new proposals for negotiations is merely speculation, Abu Issa said, emphasizing that "nothing has been solidified regarding the negotiations."
"What deal are they referring to? Today, we heard Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich say he will not accept any deal," the PIJ official said.
Progress in ceasefire talks not expected till post-US election: CNN
On Monday, CNN cited a source briefed on the talks as saying that the latest ceasefire discussions are not expected to make "significant progress" until after the coming US elections.
The source pointed out that the most recent round of discussions, which began on Sunday in the Qatari capital of Doha, was not aimed at negotiating a captive release or ceasefire agreement but rather at sparking the process.
The office of Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Monday that Mossad chief David Barnea has returned from a 24-hour visit to Qatar, where he discussed potential Gaza captive deal proposals.
According to Netanyahu's office, Barnea, alongside CIA Director Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, reviewed in Doha "a unified proposal" that merges previous approaches while taking into account "the main issues and recent developments in the region."
The "recent developments" likely refer to the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza earlier this month, The Times of Israel suggested.
“In the coming days, the discussions between the mediators and with Hamas will continue to examine the feasibility of talks and continuing to try to promote a deal,” the statement read.
Current proposals include a recent Egyptian plan announced by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for a two-day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of four Israeli captives held by the Palestinian Resistance, in addition to a multi-stage Qatari-American initiative aimed at the eventual release of all captives and an end to the ongoing war on the Strip.
Before their resumption, negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal reached a dead end due to Netanyahu's insistence on maintaining Israeli presence along the key Philadelphi Corridor along Gaza's southern border, which also includes the Rafah Crossing with Egypt.
Meanwhile, Hamas has repeatedly reiterated its key demands for any potential agreement; a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, the unrestricted return of displaced residents to their homes, comprehensive relief and reconstruction efforts, and a serious prisoner exchange deal.
The Palestinian Resistance group has also demanded that "Israel" adhere to the terms agreed upon on July 2, which are based on a plan laid out by US President Joe Biden and a UN Security Council resolution.
Hamas, PIJ congratulate Sheikh Qassem’s election as Hezbollah chief
Al-Mardawi also addressed the election of Sheikh Naim Qassem as Hezbollah's new Secretary-General, describing Sheikh Qassem's election as "an act of defiance against Israeli occupation."
He also viewed that the election of Sheikh Qassem includes “significance and messages to the occupation.”
Sheikh Qassem's election is meant to confront the occupation’s policies, the Palestinian official pointed out, extending Hamas' congratulations for Hezbollah's new Secretary General.
He expressed his confidence that Sheikh Qassem would prevent southern Lebanon from becoming another Sinai or Jordan Valley.
Similarly, Abu Issa said the PIJ is confident that Sheikh Qassem will be a worthy successor to his predecessor, martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
