Hamas Rejects Disarmament Proposals, Demands Full Israeli Withdrawal from Gaza
Hamas confirms resistance will continue amid occupation, calling for a comprehensive deal including ceasefire, reconstruction, and prisoner exchange.
Watan-Two senior Hamas officials announced on Wednesday evening the movement’s outright rejection of any proposal related to disarmament, whether of Hamas or other Palestinian factions. They confirmed that Hamas would soon deliver an official response to mediators regarding the latest Israeli proposal, following consultations with other factions in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi, in a statement broadcast by Al-Aqsa TV (affiliated with Hamas), said: “The resistance’s weapons are the lifeline of the Palestinian people and cannot be relinquished under any circumstances,” adding that the movement “will not negotiate over its weapons or those who carry them at any stage.”
Mardawi emphasized that “the demand for disarmament is purely an Israeli proposal and did not originate from the Egyptian side,” and asserted that “even entering discussions about this clause is entirely unacceptable.”
Hamas Rejects Partial Deals, Pushes for Full Ceasefire and Israeli Withdrawal
Meanwhile, member of Hamas’s political bureau, Bassem Naim, told the same channel that the movement will not lay down its arms and that “resistance will continue as long as the occupation exists.” He also stated that accepting partial deals in exchange for food, water, and ongoing military operations “is a thing of the past,” confirming that the movement is “ready to negotiate a comprehensive deal.”
Naim explained that such a deal must include “a permanent ceasefire, a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the opening of border crossings, the start of comprehensive reconstruction, and a prisoner exchange agreement that ensures the release of all prisoners in an honorable deal.”
No official response has yet been issued by Israel or the mediators regarding Hamas’s stance, while international efforts continue to reach a ceasefire agreement amid stalled negotiations.
In related news, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a statement that he held a situation assessment meeting on Wednesday evening regarding the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
According to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, the meeting was held via phone and included the negotiating team and security chiefs. The statement said Netanyahu issued directives to continue taking necessary steps to advance efforts for the hostages’ release.
