Hamas published an official statement Friday afternoon detailing conditions for the heavy weapons storage deal, including a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the entry of a Palestinian administrative committee, deployment of international forces, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The group also demanded the dismantling of armed groups it says were created by Israel.
Hamas published an official statement Friday afternoon laying out conditions for the inclusion of heavy weapons storage in the emerging Gaza agreement, tying the arrangement to a maximalist list of demands that includes a complete Israeli withdrawal, the entry of an international protection force, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The statement escalates the terror group's public position significantly beyond its earlier stance.
The day's developments began at 14:25 Jerusalem, when President Trump announced that a complete Hamas disarmament deal had been reached. In rapid succession, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamed told Al Jazeera that the group would not take any disarmament steps before an Israeli withdrawal, and Hamas issued a statement agreeing to discuss heavy weapons in phase 2 conditioned on a ceasefire and full withdrawal. Earlier Friday, at 10:36, senior Hamas official Razi Hamed had told Al Jazeera that the weapons storage deal was an internal Palestinian matter, not a disarmament – as The Zioneer reported. The new statement adds international forces, an administrative committee, and Palestinian statehood to the list of preconditions.
The Zioneer reported Thursday that the emerging framework includes weapons storage under international oversight and a Palestinian technocratic committee, with an amnesty for those who surrender arms. The U.S.-led mediation effort, which the Board of Peace affirmed Friday morning as a "historic achievement," envisioned disarmament preceding Israeli withdrawal. Hamas's new demands appear to reverse that sequence.
It remains unclear whether the new statement represents a negotiating position or a rejection of the framework. Israel has not yet issued an official response.
7 developments
- DevelopingHamas releases full statement: heavy weapons inclusion in phase 2 conditioned on full Israeli withdrawal, Palestinian statehood
- StrongHamas negotiator: No weapons deal unless Israel fulfills commitments
- DevelopingHamas spokesman Hazem Qassem welcomes Trump's statement, urges US to pressure Israel on ceasefire
- DevelopingAnalysis: Hamas seeks halt to targeted killings, rollback of Gaza yellow line in negotiations
Source and signal
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