Senior Hamas Official Signals Resistance to disarmament, Proposes Long-Term Truce
GAZA – A senior Hamas official, Mohammed Nazzal, stated the group is not currently able to commit to disarmament, despite recent remarks from former U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Hamas must disarm or be forced to do so. Nazzal affirmed Hamas would maintain a security presence in Gaza during a transitional phase following the current conflict, primarily to ensure the protection of incoming aid.
The statements come as mediators work to finalize a ceasefire agreement and outline a path forward for Gaza’s governance. Nazzal indicated Hamas is open to a long-term truce with Israel, proposing a period of three to five years to focus on rebuilding the Gaza Strip, with the stated goal of avoiding further conflict. This position reflects a longstanding Hamas offer of a truce in exchange for a Palestinian state, an offer Israel has previously dismissed as insincere.
Nazzal acknowledged prior discussions with U.S. officials regarding a potential truce, emphasizing that the focus during this period should be on reconstruction and providing “horizons and hope for the Palestinian people.” He clarified that Hamas’s continued presence is a temporary measure, intended to fill a security vacuum and safeguard aid deliveries, with plans for a technocratic management and eventual elections.
Trump had previously suggested Hamas was granted temporary approval for internal security operations and even endorsed the group targeting gangs within Gaza. Nazzal’s comments appear to corroborate the understanding of a need for security during aid distribution, though he did not specify with whom this understanding was reached.
Hamas’s founding charter calls for the destruction of Israel,though leaders have at times signaled willingness to accept a long-term truce in exchange for a Palestinian state encompassing the West Bank,Gaza,and east Jerusalem. Nazzal reiterated the desire for an independent Palestinian state as the ultimate goal.
Notably, Nazzal stated that mediators have not discussed the possibility of an international stabilization force in Gaza, a component of Trump’s proposed ceasefire plan.
