Sun Feb 02 19:38:07 UTC 2025: ## Hezbollah to Hold Grand Funeral for Slain Leaders Nasrallah and Safieddine
**BEIRUT, Lebanon –** Hezbollah announced Sunday that a large public funeral will be held on February 23rd for Hassan Nasrallah, the group’s longtime secretary-general, and Hashem Safieddine, his successor, both killed in Israeli air strikes last September.
Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for over 30 years, was killed on September 27th during an Israeli offensive in Beirut. Due to the ongoing hostilities at the time, Hezbollah conducted a temporary burial according to religious tradition. His death, along with that of several other top commanders, threw the group into disarray.
Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, revealed in a televised address that Safieddine, who had been elected as Nasrallah’s successor, was also killed in an Israeli strike shortly after. He will be buried with the title of secretary-general in his hometown of Deir Qanoun. Nasrallah will be buried in a plot of land on the outskirts of Beirut.
The announcement comes after a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, agreed upon in late November, ended months of intense cross-border fighting. The ceasefire, which included a deadline (since extended to February 18th) for Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon, has been marred by accusations of violations from both sides. Hezbollah joined the conflict to support Hamas in Gaza, suffering significant losses in the ensuing Israeli attacks. The February 23rd funeral is expected to be a major event, marking the end of a turbulent period for the Lebanese militant group.
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