Hamas announced on Saturday it will not surrender its weapons unless an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established, Reuters reported on Saturday. The declaration came amid stalled indirect peace negotiations aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza.
Mediators Qatar and Egypt recently backed a joint France–Saudi Arabia proposal calling for the militant group to transfer its arms to the West-backed Palestinian Authority as part of collective push toward a two-state solution.
Armed Resistance and Aspirations for Statehood
Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, insisted in a statement that the Palestinian group cannot give up its right to “armed resistance” without sovereignty – a stance that appears to be in direct contradiction with Israeli demands. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led Israeli government has consistently demanded Hamas’s disarmament as a key condition for any potential peace agreement.
Israel Holds Its Ground
Netanyahu dismissed the notion of an independent Palestinian state as an existential threat. He has rejected proposals by countries including Canada France and the UK to recognise a Palestinian state, arguing that such moves reward terrorism.
A Devastating Conflict and No End in Sight
The current war in Gaza began with Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, reportedly resulting in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Israel’s subsequent military operation has since caused over 60,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread devastation, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The recent round of mediated talks, the report said, collapsed amid disagreements over the extent of Israeli military withdrawal, alongside Hamas’s refusal to disarm before sovereignty is recognised.
Key elements of the peace proposal — hostage release, ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, and Palestinian statehood — appear to hinge on the issue of Hamas’s weapons. Israel sees disarmament as non-negotiable while Hamas views it as conditional on its vision for independence. That fundamental difference has seeminglgy left negotiations without a middle ground.
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