BEIRUT, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said Monday that Hezbollah categorically rejects direct Lebanon-Israel talks, noting that any outcomes from such talks are irrelevant to the group.

Displaced residents wave a flag with the image of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem as they return to their villages following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in Zefta, southern Lebanon, April 17, 2026. (Photo: AP)

"We reject direct negotiations outright," Qassem said in a statement, adding that the talks and their results "do not concern us in any way." He also accused the Lebanese authorities of making humiliating and unnecessary concessions and acting against the interests of the Lebanese people.

He outlined five conditions as the only acceptable path forward: ending Israeli attacks by land, sea and air, Israel's withdrawal from occupied territory, the release of prisoners, the return of displaced residents to their towns and villages, and reconstruction.

Qassem said that Hezbollah would not abandon its weapons and vowed that Israel would not remain on any occupied Lebanese land, adding that the group would not return to the situation that existed before March 2.

On March 2, Hezbollah announced the launch of rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel, marking the first such attack since a ceasefire was declared in November 2024. In response, Israel carried out airstrikes targeting Beirut, its southern suburbs, and other areas.