Ghazi Hamad, a member of the political bureau of the Hamas terrorist organization, rejected Israeli and US demands that the group disarm.
In an interview with the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Hamad said the issue of Hamas’s disarmament is difficult to resolve due to what he described as “many sensitivities." He added that threats to forcibly disarm the organization are “disrespectful to the efforts of the mediators."
A Palestinian Arab source told the newspaper that the dispute over the matter remains unresolved, adding that what Israel failed to achieve over two years of conflict will not be accomplished now. According to the source, the priority at this stage is to end the “aggression and the withdrawal of Israeli occupation."
An Egyptian source said the issue of Hamas’s disarmament has been discussed in talks involving Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, and the “technocrat committee," expressing hope that agreements can be reached, given US President Donald Trump’s desire to ensure the success of his political initiative.
The newspaper quoted experts who assessed that Israeli threats to take military action to disarm Hamas are part of a psychological warfare campaign ahead of the Knesset elections.
Hamas has repeatedly refused to disarm, even though Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza stipulates that the terrorist group lay down its weapons. Hamas claims its weapons are used for “self-defense against the occupation."
Senior Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal recently reaffirmed the terrorist group’s refusal to comply with Trump’s call to lay down arms, saying, “As long as our people are under occupation, talk of disarmament is an attempt to turn our people into victims, to make their elimination easier and to facilitate their destruction at the hands of the Israeli side, which is armed with every international means of warfare."