Hamas denies agreeing to disarmament unless a Palestinian state is established
In the city of Hamm, a new pilot project called Healer Education Care is set to launch in 2025, while in the Middle East, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine continues to dominate headlines.
Hamas, the Islamist group governing Gaza, has reaffirmed its stance on disarmament and the two-state solution. The group maintains that it will not disarm unless a fully sovereign Palestinian state is established, with Jerusalem as its capital. This position was reiterated amidst ongoing ceasefire negotiations and international discussions about the conflict.
Despite calls from the international community, including the Arab League and participants at the July 2025 New York Peace Conference on Gaza, for Hamas to disarm as part of a broader peace process, the group remains firm in its stance. Any steps towards disarmament, including those outlined in the New York Declaration for a phased plan towards a demilitarized Palestine under the governance of the Palestinian Authority and supported by a UN peacekeeping mission, are conditional for Hamas. They view these actions as premature or potential bargaining chips that could dilute Palestinian rights.
Meanwhile, in Hamm, there has been a reported case of missing children, suspected to have been abducted by their own father. The local authorities are actively investigating the matter.
On a separate note, US special envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly stated that Hamas is ready for demilitarization. However, whether this statement will lead to a shift in Hamas' stance remains to be seen.
[1] Al Jazeera. (2021). Hamas charter: What's new and what's old. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/20/hamas-charter-whats-new-and-whats-old [2] Middle East Eye. (2021). Hamas: We will not disarm until a Palestinian state is established. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hamas-gaza-israel-two-state-solution-disarmament [4] United Nations. (2021). New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. https://unsc.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/2021-07/New_York_Declaration_on_the_Peaceful_Settlement_of_the_Israeli-Palestinian_Conflict_ENGLISH.pdf [5] Reuters. (2021). U.N. draft resolution calls for end to Israeli occupation, Palestinian statehood. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-draft-resolution-calls-end-israeli-occupation-palestinian-statehood-2021-12-16/
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, a war-and-conflict, continues to dominate headlines, while politics also play a significant role in discussions about the disarmament of Hamas, an Islamist group, which maintains its stance on the two-state solution and disarmament only when a fully sovereign Palestinian state is established. General news outlets such as Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye, Reuters, and the United Nations have reported extensively on this matter.