Kataeb MP Elias Hankach has issued a stark warning to Lebanon’s political and military leadership, calling for immediate action to enforce a ceasefire and halt Israel’s ongoing aggression.

Speaking in an interview with MTV, Hankach criticized both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government for their failure to take decisive action, asking why, despite their stated desire for a ceasefire, neither has moved to implement it.

“We hear that Hezbollah and the government want a ceasefire, so what is stopping them from making this decision?” Hankach asked. "Why is the country left to be subjected to a senseless cycle of destruction?" he added, pointing to the failure to deploy the Lebanese army along the borders. 

“What is preventing us from stopping the massacre and putting an end to the criminal responsible for killing us? How has Gaza benefited from everything that has been done?”

Hankach expressed hope that Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, would apologize to the people of Gaza for the false promises the group has made and for the thousands now displaced in Lebanon. He stated that Hezbollah cannot start a war and then shift the blame to the Lebanese state.

“It has become clear that everything they promised us was an illusion,” he added.

The Kataeb MP further criticized Hezbollah for its actions, noting that the group's reckless decisions have significantly weakened Lebanon.

“There is nothing more damaging than the bombings, displacement, and bloodshed,” Hankach said, reminding that safe areas across Lebanon have now been exposed to significant danger.

“We welcome anyone fleeing death, but it is unacceptable for military leaders to infiltrate safe zones and endanger the local population.”

He reiterated the Kataeb Party's longstanding opposition to Hezbollah's behavior, accusing the group of creating a "state within a state" that has dragged Lebanon into unnecessary wars.

"Hezbollah chose this war, but let them fight it elsewhere. If Iran is backing them, let Iran risk its own youth, its own land. We’ve had enough of fighting other people’s wars on Lebanese soil."

Hankach stressed that Lebanon must prioritize its own sovereignty and the safety of its citizens.

"We are not sacrifices for anyone—not for Khamenei, not for the Supreme Leader, not for any Iranian. We are sacrifices for Lebanon. Our lives are precious. The life of every Lebanese is precious, and every drop of blood is precious. We cannot throw our finest young men into the fire.”

Hankach underscored that this is not Lebanon’s war, noting that it is a proxy conflict between Iran and Israel being fought on Lebanese soil. Hezbollah, he said, has willingly become a tool of Iran, and this has led to the current crisis. He called on the broader Shiite community to recognize that they are not the target of criticism but that the actions of a rogue militant group have endangered them as well as the rest of the country.

“No one is directly targeting the Shiite community,” Hankach said. “But having an armed militia operating outside the State, threatening judges, imposing its preferred electoral laws, obstructing government formation, and attacking Lebanon’s historical allies in a war no one is prepared for—that is no longer acceptable.”

Hankach also challenged the notion of Hezbollah’s so-called victories, asking what constitutes success in this context.

"Is victory displacing 100,000 Israelis from the north, or preventing 1.2 million Lebanese from being displaced? Is victory firing ten rockets at Haifa and Tel Aviv, or stopping the airstrikes and destruction in Lebanon?"

He urged Hezbollah’s leadership to reflect on the situation, calling their actions irrational and devastating to the country. He also took aim at Hezbollah’s narrative, which he said remains out of touch with reality.

“Is this level of denial real? Does Naim Qassem still live in a delusion? What does he mean by saying, ‘We won’t leave you’? Who has sheltered the displaced? Isn’t it the State?”

Hankach emphasized that the destruction Lebanon is experiencing is enormous, and questioned what the country would look like in defeat if Hezbollah claims this devastation as a victory.

He concluded with a call for unity, urging all Lebanese to reject further violence. Reflecting on Lebanon’s history of conflict, he warned against being dragged into another civil war.

“We have all carried weapons at some point, and we have all lost our leaders. We will not be dragged into another civil war.”

Turning to the presidential elections, Hankach criticized Hezbollah’s demand for a president who would protect the resistance, insisting that the Lebanese need a leader who will ensure stability for the country.

“We are Hezbollah’s most honorable opponents,” he said. “We have been clear and outspoken for years: the president isn't supposed to protect them; we protect each other. We cannot think about the future of this country while there are still weapons outside the control of the State.”

Hankach reminded his fellow citizens of the suffering Lebanon has endured from its many years of war, urging the country to move forward together.

“We know the meaning of war and persecution. Christians came out of the war scattered and devastated, and we know the pain. We do not want others—neither the Shiites nor anyone else—to experience the same.”

As Lebanon continues to grapple with political instability, Hankach’s message was clear: the time has come for Lebanon to reclaim control of its own future, with all arms placed under state authority.

“The system needs reform,” he concluded. “It has proven that we cannot live in peace together for even two years. Each time, the system collapses.”