Jerusalem: Hamas has said it is willing to lay down its weapons if Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza and if a new agreed Palestinian authority takes responsibility for governance and security in the territory. The statement comes as the second phase of a United States backed peace plan moves forward, but key points are still being negotiated.
A senior Hamas political bureau member, Bassem Naim, said the group does not reject the idea of ending armed resistance, but wants any disarmament to be part of a larger political agreement. According to him, weapons could be frozen or stored under supervision during a long term truce. He also said that any surrender of weapons must take place only after Israeli withdrawal and the formation of a legitimate Palestinian administration.
Hamas has also rejected the idea of international forces entering Gaza to disarm militants. The group says foreign forces could instead monitor borders and help guarantee a ceasefire but should not act as security controllers.
Israel has not yet accepted the proposal. Israeli officials have repeatedly said that full and verifiable disarmament must happen before any withdrawal of troops or easing of security control. The disagreement remains one of the most difficult issues in the talks.
Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States say there has been progress, but major details remain unresolved. The structure of a future government in Gaza and how weapons would be monitored are still under discussion. International partners have also asked for clearer plans on how to prevent a return to fighting.
Some analysts see the latest comments from Hamas as a sign of shift from earlier positions, but others warn that both sides still hold strong conditions that may slow the process.
Negotiators are expected to continue meetings through the week. Many hope the discussions will open a path for rebuilding Gaza and restoring stability after months of conflict, but diplomats say the coming days will be important in deciding whether the peace plan can move forward.