Beirut, 3 November 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Lebanese are anxiously awaiting a speech by the powerful chief of the Hezbollah militant group, Hassan Nasrallah, which would be his first official remarks since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Since the brutal surprise attack on Israeli communities by Hamas militants on October 7 and the outbreak of the war, there have been exchanges of fire on the border between Israel and Lebanon almost every day, with fatalities on both sides.

Nasrallah is due to make his statement at a memorial ceremony for dead Hezbollah fighters. An estimated total of 55 have been killed in the border area since October 7.

Crucially, the speech could indicate whether the Hezbollah militia, which is backed by Iran, will enter the war against Israel with their allies Hamas.

Avoiding such a widening of the conflict has been a key goal of international diplomacy in recent weeks.

The speech at 3 pm (1300 GMT) will be broadcast live on television. In some cafes in the Beirut's southern suburbs, seen as a pro-Hezbollah district, discounts were being offered in cafes to encourage people to listen.

Schools plan to send students home before the speech begins. Professional football clubs in Beirut have postponed their training sessions.

"We are all worried what Nasrallah will say. Who knows, maybe he will drag all of the Lebanese into a war with Israel," said Amal, a shop assistant in Hamra street, a main shopping street in the capital.

Nasrallah lives in hiding and rarely appears in public. It is not clear if he will deliver the speech in public.

Photo: MIA archive