Hezbollah leader asks Lebanon to cancel Tuesday meeting with Israel

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem urged Lebanon to cancel a planned meeting with Israel in Washington, reiterating his group's rejection of direct negotiations with the Israeli entity. Qassem stated that these negotiations are futile and require Lebanese consensus. Lebanese authorities want to secure a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war first, while Israel prefers formal peace talks. Over 2,000 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict began.