Beirut: Hezbollah is gearing up to conduct a monumental funeral procession this Sunday for its historic leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, alongside its former Secretary General, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine. The event is anticipated to attract an extensive congregation from both within Lebanon and internationally, with numerous high-ranking political and religious dignitaries expected to be present.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, as early as the break of dawn, Beirut's streets have been inundated with mourners arriving from various regions. By 6:00 AM local time, the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium was already packed with attendees, some of whom camped overnight to ensure their participation in the ceremony. The funeral procession is set to commence at 1:00 PM local time (11:00 GMT) at the stadium, where the coffins will arrive in a specially designed vehicle. Hezbollah's Secretary General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, is slated to deliver an address before the procession proceeds to Sayyed Nasrallah's final resting place on the outskirts of Beirut's Southern Suburb.
Giant portraits of the two leaders have been displayed prominently on the stadium's exterior and along the roads leading to the funeral site. An extensive seating arrangement has been made inside the venue to accommodate the anticipated massive turnout. The organizing committee has confirmed the participation of official delegations from Lebanon and beyond, with representatives from 79 countries attending in both official and popular capacities. High-level figures from Iran, Iraq, and other nations have also marked their presence.
The procession extends beyond the stadium, with both pedestrian and vehicular processions occurring in Beirut's Southern Suburb, as Lebanon and the broader Arab and Islamic world pay homage to two leaders instrumental in the resistance movement, especially in support of the Palestinian cause.
The funeral is under stringent security measures implemented by Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities. The stadium's seating capacity exceeds 50,000, yet tens of thousands more are expected to gather in the surrounding streets to join the funeral march. By 7:00 AM, just an hour after the gates opened, all designated spaces inside the stadium were filled.
Event organizers have indicated that the stadium will accommodate over 23,000 seats on the field and 55,000 more in the stands. Additionally, 35,000 seats have been allocated for men and 25,000 in a separate section for women in the surrounding areas. Large screens have been set up along the procession route, and numerous tents have been erected to welcome visitors and participants along the streets leading to the funeral site.
To ensure the well-being of attendees, the Islamic Health Society has dispatched 1,500 medical volunteers, including paramedics, doctors, and nurses, across 60 medical tents. A fleet of 100 ambulances is stationed along the funeral route.
Preparations have been ongoing to accommodate the anticipated massive crowds, with Beirut's Sports City Stadium positioned to host both official delegations and the large numbers of mourners. Air travel to Beirut has surged, with over 50 flights arriving at Beirut International Airport within twelve hours on Saturday, primarily from Iraq and Turkey. Meanwhile, Lebanese families have opened their homes to foreign visitors, and hotel occupancy rates in Beirut have reportedly exceeded 90%.