Hamas Open to Weapons Freeze but Rejects Disarmament in Gaza Peace Plan

GAZA: A senior Hamas leader has stated that the group is open to a temporary weapons “freeze” but firmly rejects disarmament as proposed in the US-sponsored peace plan for Gaza.

Speaking to Qatari news channel Al Jazeera, Khaled Meshaal said, “The idea of total disarmament is unacceptable to the resistance. What is being proposed is a freeze, or storage of weapons, to provide guarantees against any military escalation from Gaza with the Israeli occupation.”

Meshaal added that discussions with mediators continue and expressed hope that pragmatic thinking from the US could lead to agreement on this approach.

The US-brokered ceasefire, in effect since October 10, 2023, halted the conflict that erupted after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7. However, tensions remain high as both sides accuse each other of violations.

The peace agreement consists of three phases. In the second phase, Israeli troops are expected to further withdraw from Gaza and be replaced by an international stabilization force, while Hamas would lay down its weapons. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump later this month to discuss the next steps of the truce.

Hamas, however, has made it clear that it will not give up its arsenal. Meshaal stated, “Disarmament for a Palestinian means stripping away his very soul. Let’s achieve that goal another way.”

Read more: Netanyahu Says Second Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Plan to Begin Soon

Regarding the international peacekeeping force, Meshaal said Hamas would accept deployment along Gaza’s border with Israel, but not inside the territory, calling such a plan “occupation.” He referenced UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, as an example of acceptable border deployment.

Mediators, along with Arab and Islamic nations, could act as “guarantors” to ensure no escalation originates from Gaza. Meshaal emphasized, “The danger comes from the Zionist entity, not from Gaza.”

During the first phase of the deal, Palestinian militants released all hostages except one body, while Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and returned hundreds of bodies.