Hamas, Islamic Jihad hail election of Naim Qassem as new Hezbollah chief

The Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movements of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have hailed the election of Sheikh Naim Qassem as Secretary-General of Hezbollah following the martyrdom of his predecessor Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli strike on southern Beirut last month.

In a statement on Sunday, Hamas congratulated members of Hezbollah for selecting Sheikh Naim Qassem as Secretary General of the resistance movement, saying his election is a sign of the group’s recovery from the targeting of its leadership.

Hamas further wished Sheikh Qassem success in leading Hezbollah and the Islamic resistance in confronting the Zionist enemy and its colonial ambitions in Lebanon, Palestine, and the region.

In a separate statement, the Islamic Jihad extended its congratulations to members of Hezbollah on the appointment of Sheikh Qassem, saying the assumption of this position at this sensitive stage reaffirms the strength and resilience of the resistance in Lebanon and “a demonstration of its high capability to confront the enemy, thwart its aggression, and foil its plans.”

Naim Qassem elected as new chief of Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement

Naim Qassem has been elected as the new chief of Hezbollah.

The Islamic Jihad further wished success and determination for members of Hezbollah and its leadership to continue the path of resistance until the liberation and defeat of the occupation.

On Tuesday, Hezbollah's Shura Council, the group's central decision-making body, appointed Sheikh Qassem as the group’s secretary-general.

The 60-year-old cleric is a veteran figure in Hezbollah, having served as deputy secretary general of the Lebanese resistance group since 1991.

He was appointed deputy secretary general under Hezbollah’s late secretary general, Abbas al-Musawi, who was killed by an Israeli helicopter attack in 1992, and remained in the role when Nasrallah became leader.

Sheikh Qassem has long been one of the leading spokesmen for Hezbollah, conducting many interviews with foreign media.

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