Leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah holds talks with senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad figures

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group has met with top Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad officials. The meeting Wednesday is the first one reported since the Hamas-Israel war erupted earlier this month and clashes began along the Lebanon-Israel border. Israel declared war after Hamas fighters surged into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people and abducting over 200 others in an unprecedented attack. Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops have clashed along the tense Lebanon-Israel border since the day after the attack. In a statement, Hassan Nasrallah agreed with top Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri and Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Nakhleh on next steps to be taken during this “sensitive stage”, without giving further details.