Hamas Insists on Disarmament Only After Establishment of Palestinian State
In the ongoing Gaza conflict, a 60-day ceasefire proposal in exchange for the release of ten live hostages remains on the table. This proposal comes as a mass demonstration in Israel demanded a deal for the release of all hostages, with the Forum of Hostage Families reporting 60,000 participants in a protest rally.
The US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has stated that Hamas is ready for demilitarization. However, the group has made it clear that it will only lay down its weapons under specific conditions. According to reports, Hamas is willing to disarm if it ends its rule in Gaza and hands over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority with international engagement and support. This position is reflected in a declaration signed by several Arab and Muslim states, the Arab League, the European Union, and others at a UN conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
However, it seems that Hamas is unlikely to accept this without conditions. The group has a long-standing rejection of Israel and its armed stance, and the complex dynamics where Israel continues its military operations and aid restrictions exacerbate humanitarian conditions in Gaza. These factors, combined with Hamas' insistence on the right of an occupied people to possess weapons and resist, make a peaceful resolution challenging.
The US government aims for a comprehensive deal to end the war and bring back all remaining hostages at once. Notably, the US and Israel agree it is necessary to move towards a framework for the release of all hostages, the disarmament of Hamas, and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Israel's government is against a two-state solution, and the Palestinian state, according to Hamas, must have Jerusalem as its capital. In a recent development, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned Israel against annexing the West Bank.
The conflict was sparked by the kidnapping of more than 250 people from Israel into the Gaza Strip by terrorists from Hamas and other Islamic organizations on October 7, 2023. Since then, over 60,000 people have been killed in the sealed-off coastal region, according to figures from the Hamas-controlled health authority (unconfirmed, independent figure does not distinguish between civilians and fighters).
In a disturbing turn of events, a Hamas propaganda video shows Evyatar David, a hostage, digging his own grave in a tunnel in Gaza. Netanyahu has accused Hamas of deliberately starving hostages and documenting it in a cynical and malicious manner. In response, Netanyahu met with the families of David and another hostage, according to his office's statement.
As the conflict continues, the international community calls on Hamas to release hostages and disarm as necessary steps toward a new ceasefire and a lasting political solution involving a two-state outcome. However, the road to peace remains fraught with challenges.
References: 1. The New York Times 2. France 24 3. BBC News 4. Al Jazeera
- The US government, in their pursuit of a comprehensive deal to end the conflict, is working towards a framework for the release of all remaining hostages, the disarmament of Hamas, and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, as covered by The New York Times, France 24, BBC News, and Al Jazeera.
- Politicians and international organizations alike are urging Hamas, currently entangled in a complex web of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news, to release hostages and disarm as critical steps towards a new ceasefire and a lasting political solution, as reported by The New York Times, France 24, BBC News, and Al Jazeera.
