Hamas Rejects Israeli Ceasefire Terms Demanding Disarmament Amid Ongoing Gaza Attacks
As ceasefire talks stall in Cairo, Hamas asserts that resistance weapons are non-negotiable, while Israeli airstrikes and forced displacement continue in Gaza.
Watan-Yesterday, uncertainty surrounding the results of the Gaza ceasefire talks held in Cairo appeared to clash with the nature of the proposal delivered by Egypt to the delegation of the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas. The proposal, in addition to not including an end to the war, reportedly contained conditions regarding the disarmament of the resistance.
A senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that the delegation, led by Hamas leader in Gaza Khalil Al-Hayya, was surprised to find that the Egyptian proposal included an explicit clause calling for the disarmament of the resistance.
He added that “Egypt informed us there would be no agreement to stop the war without negotiations on disarming the resistance.”
Hamas Rejects Disarmament Talks as Israeli Strikes Continue in Gaza
According to the same official, who remained unnamed, Hamas informed Egypt that discussing the issue of resistance weapons was completely unacceptable, stressing that “the resistance’s weapons are a fundamental right of the Palestinian people and are non-negotiable.”
He continued, saying: “The movement told Egypt that the gateway to any agreement must be a cessation of the war and withdrawal (of Israeli forces), not disarmament.”
Additional sources revealed that the Israeli side did not include any commitment in its proposal to proceed to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces continued their deadly attacks on the Gaza Strip, with several civilians martyred in heavy airstrikes.
Internal Israeli Divisions Deepen as Gaza Invasion Deemed a “Delusion”
This comes alongside continued threats from the Israeli army, demanding the forced displacement of residents in many areas of northern Gaza.
Inside Israel, the far-right government faces growing opposition within military, security, and political circles. Hundreds of current or former members of sensitive agencies have signed petitions opposing the continuation of the war and calling for prioritizing the lives of the Israeli captives held in Gaza.
These divisions reached into the Israeli government on Monday, with leaks quoting the new Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, as saying before the Security Cabinet that the idea of invading Gaza is a “delusion.” This position is seen as a betrayal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who remain committed to continuing the genocidal war on Gaza.
