Hamas insists on no disarmament before Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza
JAKARTA - Senior Hamas officials said on Friday, the Palestinian militant group would not take any steps towards disarmament before Israeli forces withdrew from the Gaza Strip.
Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas negotiating delegation, said the issue of disarmament was related to Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the reconstruction of the area.
In his statement to the Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel, Hamad said Israel would not have a role in the disarmament process, which would instead be carried out by the Palestinian national committee.
He stressed that Hamas would not implement any disarmament measures unless Israel first fulfilled its obligations under the agreement, quoted from Anadolu (31/7).
Hamad further described the negotiations as "difficult and heavy," and said Hamas was trying to get the best results while remaining committed to protecting the rights of the Palestinian people.
He also thanked Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for their mediation efforts in helping reach the agreement.
Hamad's statement came after US President Donald Trump announced that an agreement had been reached for the total disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, with Israeli forces to withdraw gradually as the process progresses.
President Trump also praised Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for helping broker what he called a "historic breakthrough," saying the deal would be implemented gradually, with the International Stabilization Force (ISF) working alongside the new Palestinian police force to take over security responsibilities in Gaza.
The Israeli genocide war in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 174,000 others, mostly women and children, while destroying about 90 percent of the region's infrastructure.
The two sides then agreed to a ceasefire mediated by Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza, which was overseen by the Peace Council, which he heads.
Although the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, 2025, Israel continued to carry out daily attacks throughout Gaza, killing 1,214 Palestinians and injuring 3,977 others, mostly women and children, and causing widespread destruction.