Hezbollah will not surrender its weapons despite mounting domestic and international pressure, a senior official from the Lebanese militant group said, arguing that the Gaza ceasefire that took effect on Friday shows that “armed resistance” remains essential to securing national rights.

“When we look at what happened in Gaza and its reflection on Lebanon, any rational observer would see that maintaining our weapons remains a vital source of strength for the Lebanese in reclaiming their rights,” Youssef Al Zein, head of Hezbollah’s media office, told The National.

Al Zein said the ceasefire, brokered by the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make key concessions, including a ban on forced population displacement and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from most of Gaza. He argued that Hamas’s military capability gave it leverage in negotiations. This is a lesson, he said, that Hezbollah should not ignore.

“Gaza’s armed resistance ultimately forced Israel to back down and accept these terms. Lebanon should draw strength from that experience, which showed that armed resistance can lead to what would have been unimaginable otherwise,” he said.

Al Zein cautioned, however, that Gaza could face the same fate as Lebanon, where Israel continues to conduct near-daily strikes despite a ceasefire, if mediators fail to ensure Israel’s compliance with the agreement.

“If the mediator states of the Gaza ceasefire don’t uphold their guarantees, the situation ends up just like what’s happening with Lebanon now,” Al Zein warned.

The Hezbollah official said the group was open to discussing disarmament only as part of a “national security strategy without foreign interference,” and only once Israel fully complies with its obligations.

“We say that these weapons were created to serve the resistance. As long as the occupation exists, these weapons have a function. When the occupation ends, that function ends,” he said.

He added that Israel must first halt its attacks, withdraw troops from five remaining positions inside Lebanese territory, and release at least 15 Lebanese detainees held in Israel, including seven civilians. He also demanded guarantees for reconstruction in southern Lebanon, warning that Israel appears to be pushing to establish a buffer zone along the border.

Israel, he said, destroyed several border towns after the ceasefire and targeted rebuilding efforts, preventing tens of thousands of displaced residents from returning home.

“You cannot, while occupation continues and the victim is still under attack, tell the victim to hand over their weapon — that would mean you are giving Israel the chance to continue its aggression and its occupation,” Al Zein said.

Al Zein acknowledged that Hezbollah has paid a “heavy price,” with “many martyrs, and great losses.”

“But we’re still strong,” he said. “If we were truly weak, Israel wouldn’t be seeking to force our disarmament.”