The latest
Senior officials at the U.S.-backed Peace Council say Hamas has agreed, in principle, to discuss disarmament for the first time, but insists that an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza must come first. The reported shift could mark a significant development in negotiations, although officials caution that no final agreement has been reached.
According to the officials, mediators conveyed the outcome of recent meetings in Cairo between Hamas representatives and delegates from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey to Peace Council Director General Nikolay Mladenov. During those discussions, Hamas reportedly expressed readiness to discuss collecting or dismantling weapons, but stopped short of committing to surrendering its entire arsenal.
Details
- The Peace Council continues to insist that the complete disarmament of Hamas is a prerequisite for Gaza’s reconstruction, an Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of an international stabilization force, and the transfer of governance to a Palestinian technocratic administration.
- Officials familiar with the talks said the main dispute now centers on what “disarmament” actually means. Hamas has reportedly proposed handing over part of its weapons or placing them in internationally supervised storage, while U.S. mediators insist that all weapons must be surrendered without exception.
- Sources said Mladenov agreed to minor wording changes in the proposed roadmap to facilitate negotiations but refused to alter its core requirement of full disarmament.
- Preparations are also continuing for an international stabilization mission in Gaza, while thousands of Palestinian police officers are expected to begin training ahead of assuming civilian security responsibilities under the proposed post-war framework.
Background
Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire reached late last year, Hamas’ weapons have remained the central obstacle to moving into the next phase of the Gaza plan, which includes reconstruction, a phased Israeli withdrawal, and the establishment of a new Palestinian administration. Former UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov has been leading the Peace Council’s efforts to implement the initiative.
Previous reports said the council presented Hamas with proposals offering political guarantees and large-scale reconstruction assistance in exchange for full disarmament. Hamas, however, has continued to link any such move to an Israeli withdrawal and security arrangements protecting its members.
What to watch
If Hamas formally agrees to surrender its entire arsenal, negotiations could move into the implementation phase of the U.S.-backed Gaza plan. If it continues to insist on retaining some weapons or ties disarmament to additional political conditions, the issue is likely to remain the biggest obstacle to a lasting post-war agreement.
